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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Franklin K. Lane, Secretary 



United States Geological Survey ^ 

George Otis Smith, Director -^1 



Water-Supply Paper 429 



^^51^^ 



GROUND WATER IN THE SAN JACINTO 
AND TEMEGULA BASINS, 

CALIFORNIA ^(^y^ 



BY 



GERALD A. WARING 



Prepared in cooperation with the 
DEPAKTMENT OF ENGrNEEEIN& OF THE STATE OF CAIIFOEOTA 




WASHINGTON 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
1919 



Q'^ 



\}Z- 



< 



.Gi^^ 



d; •f B. 

OCT 2 1919 



CONTENTS. 

Page. 

Introduction 7 

San Jacinto basin 7 

General features 7 

Geography 7 

Geology 9 

Climate 10 

Settlement and industries 14 

Irrigation systems 16 

Lake Hemet Water Co IG 

Fairview Land & Water Co - 18 

Citizens Water Co 18 

Lakeview Water Co 19 

Perris and Alessandro irrigation districts , 19 

Ground water 20 

Source of supply. 20 

Quality of water 21 

Description by areas 23 

San Jacinto area . .* 23 

Location and character 23 

Hot springs 24 

Artesian area 27 

Ground-water level 29 

Irrigation 30 

Quality of water 31 

Alkali : 31 

'Hemet area 32 

Location and character 32 

Ground-water lerel 32 

Irrigation 86 

Quality of water 37 

Alkali 37 

Winchester area 37 

Location and character 37 

Ground- water level 38 

Irrigation 41 

Quality of water 41 

Alkali 41 

Lakeview area 42 

Location and character 42 

Artesian areas 42 

Ground- water level 44 

Irrigation 46 

Quality of water ' 47 

Alkali 47 

3 



4 CONTEXTS. 

San Jacinto basin — Continued. 

Description by areas — Contin^ied. Page. 

Moreno area 47 

Location and character 47 

Ground--5rater level 48 

Irrigation 50 

QuaKty of water 50 

Perris area 50 

Location and character 50 

Ground-water level 51 

Lrigation 62 

Quality of water 63 

Alkali 64 

Menifee area 64 

Location and character 64 

Ground-water level 65 

Irrigation ^. 68 

Quality of water 69 

Alkali 69 

Elsinore Lake area 69 

Location and character 69 

Geologic features 70 

Surface water 71 

Hot springs 75 

Ground-water level 75 

Irrigation 76 

Quality of water 78 

Alkali 78 

Temescal area 79 

Location and character 79 

Hot springs 79 

Artesian ai'ea 80 

Ground- water level 80 

Irrigation _ 80 

Quality of water 81 

AlkaU 81 

Temecula basin 81 

General features ,. 81 

Geography 81 

Geology 82 

CUmate 84 

Settlement and industries 84 

Surface water 85 

Description by areas 86 

Murrieta Valley 86 

Location and character 86 

Hot springs 87 

Artesian areas 87 

Ground-water level 88 

Irrigation 89 

Quality of water 89 

Alkali 90 



CONTENTS. 5 

Temecula basin — Continued. 

Description by areas — Continued. Page. 

Temecula Valley 90 

Location and character 90 

Artesian area 91 

Ground-water level 92 

Irrigation 92 

Quality of water 93 

Alkali 93 

Pumping tests, by Herman Stabler. 93 

Notes on the plants 93 

Tested plants - 93 

Untested plants 97 

Pumping station c>f the Temescal Water Co 97 

Summary of tests 98 

Factors affecting costs 102 

Selection of machinery 105 

Index Ill 



ILLUSTKATIONS. 

Page. 
Plate I. Sketch map of part of California, showing areas covered by water- 
supply papers of the United States Geological Sxirvey 7 

II. Map of San Jacinto and Temecula basins, showing relief and drainage 

basins 8 

III. Map of San Jacinto and Temecula basins, showing geologic forma- 

tions, ai'tesian basins, depth to water, and location of wells . . In pocket. 

IV. A, Eden Hot Springs; B, San Jacinto Valley, looking southward 

from Relief Hot Springs _ 24 

V. Map of San Jacinto and Temecula basins showing irrigated lands, 

pumping plants, and principal distribution systems In pocket. 

VI. Map of San Jacinto and Temecula basins showing lands irrigated in 

1904 and in 1915 In pocket. 

VII. San Jacinto Valley from Park Hill 30 

VIII. Logs of wells in the Hemet area 32 

IX. A, Perris and Alessandro valleys, from point about 2 miles north of 

Perris; B, Hemet irrigated district, from Reservoir Butte 36 

X. A, Western part of Double Butte, Winchester area, looking toward 

Perris; B, Jimiper Flat, Lakeview Mountains 38 

XI. A, San Jacinto River near Perris; B, Land near Perris prepared for 

seeding to alfalfa 51 

XII. Escarpment along south side of Elsinore Lake .- . 68 

XIII. A, Valley of Temecula River; B, Southern part of Elsinore Lake 

basin, from slopes northeast of Wildomar 70 

XIV. A, Temescal Wash and bench lands below Temescal; B, Bench 

lands along southwest side of Temescal Wash, below Lee Lake 78 



b CONTEKTS. 

Figure 1. Diagram showing seasonal precipitation at stations in the San Page. 

Jacinto basin ' 11 

2. Diagram showing origin of artesian pressure in the San Jacinto basin. 21 

3. Logs of wells in the San Jacinto area 26 

4. Diagram showing fluctuation of water level in record wells near 

Bowers 29 

5. Diagram showing fluctuation of water level in record wells in the 

Hemet area 35 

6. Logs of wells near Winchester 38 

7. Diagram showing fluctuation of water level in record wells near 

Winchester 40 

8. Logs of flowing artesian wells near Casa Loma 43 

9. Diagram showing fluctuation of water level in record wells near 

Lakeview 46 

10. Logs of wells in the Moreno area 49 

11. Logs of wells in the Perris area 52 

12. Diagram showing fluctuation of water level in record ^ells in the 

Perris area 61 

13. Log of well in lilenifee Valley 65 

14. Diagram showing fluctuation of water level in record wells in 

Menifee Valley 68 

15. Logs of flowing artesian wells in Temecula Valley 91 



INSERTS. 



Page. 

Mineral analyses, etc., San Jacinto area 30 

Mineral analyses, etc., Hemet area 36 

Mineral analyses, etc., Winchester, Lakeview, and Moreno areas 40 

Mineral analyses, etc. , Perris and Menifee areas 62 

Mineral analyses, etc., Elsinore Lake and Temescal areas 78 

Mineral analyses, etc., TemecuLj basin 86 



U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



WATER-SUPPLr PAPER 429 PLATE 1 




Areas covered by other 
water-supply papers 



published as a cooperative study of the U, S. Geolog- 
ical Survey in the Report c " ' " • ■ " 
nission of CaHfornia, 1912. 



; Conservation Corn- 



Watering places in the desert regions of the south- 
eastern part of the State are described in Water-Sup- 
ply Paper 224. and the mineral springs of the State 
are described in Water-Supply Paper 338. 



SKETCH MAP OF PART OF CALIFORNIA 
Showing areas treated in the present report and in other water-supply papers of the U. S. Geological Survey relating to ground water 



GROUND WATER IN THE SAN JACINTO AND 
TEMECULA BASINS, CALIFORNIA. 



By Gerald A. Waring. 



INTRODUCTION. 

A study of the conditions affecting tlie occurrence of ground water 
in the San Jacinto and Temecula basins in southern California was 
begiui in 1904 by Walter C. Mendenhall, to obtain data for a report 
on the area similar to reports which he had prepared on other areas 
in the southern part of the State.' A study of the fluctuation of the 
ground-water level was also begun by measuring the depth to water 
in certain wells at intervals of a few months. When the well records 
were collected it was expected that the results of the ground-water 
study could be prepared for early publication. The unavoidable 
delay in the preparation of this report has, however, been advanta- 
geous to the study of fluctuations of ground water for it has made 
the period of collection of records longer than would otherwise have 
been feasible. 

In the fall of 1915 the author spent about six weeks in the San 
Jacinto and Temecula basins, in bringing up to date the information 
collected earHer, and in July, 1916, he spent a few days in supple- 
mentary studies in this region. The detailed descriptions of the areas 
were prepared by the author, but the discussion of the general fea- 
tures and of the irrigation systems of the San Jacinto basin were 
written by Mr. Mendenhall. 

In connection with the studies of fluctuation of ground water 
tests of pumping plants in the region were made in 1910 by Herman 
Stabler, whose results are appended to the present report. 

SAN JACINTO BASIN. 

GENERAL FEATURES. 

GEOGRAPHY. 

The San Jacinto River basin is in western Riverside County, in 
southern Cahfomia. (See PI. I.) The basin is irregular in outline, 
about 65 miles in extreme length, east and west, 30 miles in greatest 

1 V. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Papers 219, 237, 238, 239, 242. See index map, PI. I. 

7 



8 GROUND "WATER IN" SAN JACIKTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

width in a northeast-soutli-n^est direction, and 1,000 square miles in 
extent. Topographically it is a region of diverse and unique charac- 
teristics. The floor of the valley from the mouth of San Jacinto 
Canyon to the base of Box Springs Mountains is a remarkably level 
lowland whose general elevation is 1,500 to 1,800 feet above sea level, 
but from it a number of granitic mountains and buttes rise abruptly 
like islands from the sea. (See PI. II.) In its relation to the adjacent 
lowlands of Santa Ana Valley to the northwest and west this valley 
?s a plateau, for it lips 500 to 1,000 feet above them; but in relation 
to its immediate environment it is distinctly a basin, for it is rimmed 
on all sides by an irregular upland formed by the San Jacinto 
Mountains and subsidiary ridges on the northeast and by Santa Ana 
and Elsinore mountains on the southwest. Northwestward, in the 
direction of Kiverside, the rim is not conspicuous, for the plains rise 
gently to the head of Box Springs and Sycamore canyons and then 
slope abruptly do"wnward to the citrus-clad slopes of the Eiverside 
mesa, 600 or 700 feet below. Toward the south the divide between 
the San Jacinto and Temecula basins is also indistinct, and the rim 
of the basin is broken by Paloma Valley; but beyond this valley the 
drainage passes southwestward to the Pacific through Temecula 
Canyon instead of northwestward to Santa Ana River. Southward 
and southeastward the land rises to the inclosed mountain basins of 
i>abtiste. Chihuahua, and Warner valleys, which interrupt the 
desert border of the upland area at elevations of 2,500 to 4,500 feet 
above the sea. The highest point in the boundary of the basin is 
San Jacinto Peak, 10,805 feet above the sea. * 

San Jacinto River itself is a stream of peculiar regimen and irregular 
course. Rising on the slopes of San Jacinto Mountains, its head- 
water tributaries plunge through deep canyons to their junction with 
the main stream that emerges upon the plain 5 or 6 miles southeast 
of San Jacinto. In these upper tributaries water flows thi'oughout 
the year, but during dry seasons the water that is not diverted for 
irrigation at the mouth of the canyon quickly sinks in the sands 
of the river channel above Florida. Ordinarily, however, during the 
winter high-water period the channel contains flowing water as far 
as the flats north of Lakeview Mountains. Minor floods do not ex- 
tend beyond this basin, but the exceptional storms of winter fill these 
flats to overflowing and the water then passes out through the channel 
west of Lakeview, crosses Perris VaUey, enters Railroad Canyon, and 
continues through this gorge to Elsinore Lake, a body of brackish 
water. A channel connects Elsinore Lake with Temescal Wash, 
which discharges into Santa Ana River below Corona. A few times 
since the occupation of the valley by white men Elsinore Lake has 
been raised by floods in San Jacinto River to the level of overflow 
into Temescal Wash; and during these exceptional times the San 



U. 3. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPER -129 PLATK 11 




MAP OF SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA UASINS. 8H0\\I\G RELIEF AND DRAINAGE BASINS. 



SAN JACINTO BASIN. 9 

Jacinto has been a continuous stream from its source at the base of 
San Jacinto Peak to its jimction with Santa Ana River, through 
which it discharges into the sea; but under ordinary conditions the 
waters of the river do not join those of the ocean. 

GEOLOGY. 

In detail the geology of the San Jacinto basin is complex; but little 
of the detail bears on the question of water supply, the theme of this 
paper. It may besaid, however, that the basin occupies a depressed 
crustal block, which is bounded on the northeast and the southwest by 
faults. One of these faults extends along the northeastern base of 
Santa Ana and Elsinore mountains, and the valley that marks its 
position is occupied by Temescal Wash and Elsinore Lake basin. The 
second noteworthy fault extends northwest and southeast along the 
southern base of the ridge between the San Jacinto basin and San 
Timoteo Canyon. Between these lines of dislocation is the San 
Jacinto basin and on each side of it are the mountain ranges that 
separate it from adjacent drainage basins. (See PI. II.) 

On Christmas morning, 1899, a locally violent earthquake shock 
resxilting from movement along the San Jacinto fault or a related sub- 
sidiary fracture damaged several buildings in the city of San Jacinto. 
On the adjacent Indian reservation a few lives were lost by the fall 
of adobe house walls. The geographic limits of the disturbance seem 
to have been very narrow, apparently because the locus of the dis- 
placement was restricted to the hills back of San Jacinto. 

Most of the rocks of the basin are granitic, but to the south, in 
Diamond and Paloma valleys and in the hills between Elsinore and 
Perris, are masses of contorted black slates and schists, probably of 
Triassic age. To the northwest, along Temescal Wash, there are un- 
altered sandstones, shales, and clays of Eocene, Miocene, and possibly 
Pliocene age. (See PI. Ill, in pocket.) To the north the Badlands, 
between Moreno and San Timoteo Canyon, consist chiefly of partly 
consolidated gritty clay shales, which are overlain unconf ormably by 
gravels that are probably of alluvial origin. Definite evidence as to 
the age of the shales in these hills is lacking, but because of their re- 
semblance to similar rocks elsewhere in California, it is assumed that 
they were deposited during the Pliocene epoch. Near and east of 
Eden Hot Springs these sediments lie unconformably upon ancient 
granitic and metamorphic rocks, as shown in Plate IV, A. A series 
that is similar to that of the Badlands forms the lower slopes east 
of San Jacinto and also the hills between the lower courses of the 
South Fork of the San Jacinto and Bautista Creek. The isolated 
masses of Park Hill and Casa Loma Hill are composed of the same 
partly consolidated materials, but the Lakeview Mountains, the hills 
between Lakeview and Moreno, and in general the buttes that rise 



10 GEOUXD \rATEE IX SAX JACINTO AXD XEMECULA BASIXS, CAL. 

above the floor of the vallev consist of older granitic and metamor- 
phic rocks. 

xUl the rocks thus far described are important in their relation to 
supplies of gi'ound water only because they furnish a practically water- 
tight bottom and rim for the basin, and because the loose alluvial 
material brought down by the streams has been deposited and accu- 
mulated in the iiTegularities of their surfaces. In this aUurial wash, 
which constitutes the modern valley fill, all the abundant supphes of 
ground water are found. Wise and effective use of the water de- 
pends on the possibility of recovering it cheaply and at such a rate 
that the water level will not be drawn down by the pumps and the 
flowing wells more rapidly than it is restored through absorption of 
rainfall and of flood waters diuing each winter. 



CLIilATE. 

The climate of the San Jacinto basin is typical of the moderately 
elevated interior basins of southern California. It is characterized 
by a division of the year into a wet and a dry season, generally low 
precipitation, large proportion of clear days, moderately high summer 
temperatures, and absence of low winter temperatures. The aver- 
age seasonal precipitation at San Jacinto is about 13 inches, at Elsi- 
nore 13 ^ inches, and at Idyllwild, on the slope of the San Jacinto 
Mountains at an elevation of 5,2.50 feet, nearly 28 inches. The avail- 
able monthly records of precipitation at these three stations are given 
in the following tables,^ and the seasonal precipitation and its de- 
parture from the average is shown graphically in figure 1. The sea- 
sonal instead of the annual precipitation was used in preparing the 
diagram, as it represents the total precipitation during each winter, 
the rainy season extending from about September to May. 

Precipitation, in inches, in Riverside County. Cal. 

idyilwUd. 

[Elevation 5,250 £eet.] 



Season. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. Dec. 


Jan. .Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. May. 


June. 


Sea- 
sonal. 


Year. 


An- 
nual. 


1901 












a3.47 5.81 

2.42 5.25 

3. S2 3. 00 

.80 2.70 


1.23 
5.53 
6.76 
4. .59 


0.37 1.22 

.091 .20 

6.10 .48 

02. 19 al. 42 




.10 
.09 




.04 
.43 







T. 


■19.4.3 
26.48 
14.95 
35.01 
41.66 
30.66 
21.31 
35.34 
25.35 
27.82 


1901 
1902 
1903 
1904 
1905 
1906 
1907 
1903 
1909 
1910 
1911 


17 94 


1901-2 

1902-3 

1903-4 


6.34' 3.44 

.33 
.57 
T. 2.45 

.03 .17 

.73 2.77 

.05i 
1..50 2.73 
1.00 1.S7 

.5.5 .21 
1.02 



T. 
2.21 
T. 

.38 

T. 
3.11 
.40 
.15 
.80 


1.03 
.10 
.47 
.25 

T. 
.03 

4.5.5 

1.85 



1.43 
.43 


0.69 

3. SO 




8.38 

2.15 

1.11 

.70 

4. .34 
2.40 

.15 


0..34 
2.00 


.98 
1.93 
5.25 
2.64 
1.0.5 
8.53 

.10 
m 10 


19.82 
23.50 
15.33 


1904-5 

1905-6 

1906-7 

1907-8 


6. 85; 8. 43 10. 07 2. 21 
3.34' 5.3216.15 3.19 

7. .30 2.71! 6.7S: .89 
3.96, 3.S5 1.67 2.34 

12.16 7.27 4.56; .26 
5.20 .60 3.08 .33 
9.35; 6.26 6.a3 1.34 


3.77 
2.73 
1.48 
1.14 
.15 




42.22 
41. »4 
27.94 
23.90 


190^9 

190<>-10 

1910-11 

1911 


40. .54 
14.05 
25.33 













Means 






....!.... J 1 ._j 




27.80 


26.60 


. 1 i ! ■ 111 









a Interpolated. 



i> Station discontinued. 



1 V. S. Dept. Agr. Vv eather Bur. Bull. W, vol. 1, 1912, and later date. 



SAN JACINTO BASIN", 



11 



X 

o 



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u 

CL 



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30 










































_| 






















M 


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1 

27.SO TDtlci 


i?S 




























1 


































































1 










25 
































II 


























































1 


























20 
15 


































1 






. 












































































































































10 


























































































































5 
















































■ 


























































1 












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1 1 
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O 






















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. 
































1 




































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1 


15 






























































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12S5i 


rifT 


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1 


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1 


1 


1 


1 
























h 


Jo r 


eco 


rd 















































El 


sir 


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^ 












































































































Me 


321 


13.4 


Si 


LCIU 


IS 
























































































I 






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J 


II 


r 1 


1 






1 


1 










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ooooooOOooooooooooooooooQOcaciCiOCsascaaiaia^aiaiCsoaoi 



FiGuiiE 1.— Diagram showing, seasonal precipitafcion at stafewns in the San Jacinto basin. 



12 GROUND WATER IN" SAN" JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAI^ 



San Jacinto. 
[Elevation 1,550 feet.] 



1S86 

1886-87 



1892-93 

1893-94 

1894-95..... 

1895-96 

1896-97 

1897-98 

1898-99 

1899-1900... 

1900-01 

1901-02 

1902-03 

1903-OJ 

1904-05 

1905-06 

1906-07 

1907-08 

1908-09 

1909-10 

1910-11 

1911-12 

1912-13 

1913-14 

1914-15 

1915-16 

1916 



Means. 



.03 

.13 
T. 

.07 
o.OS 

.22 
ffi.08 

.01 


.10 




.52 


.17 

.18 




.20 



.02 





0.03 

T. 

T. 

o. 10 
.54 

a. 10 



1.53 


.11 
.32 
.37 

T. 


.45 
.23 




.50 
.40 


.28 
.70 



0.51 
.04 


.40 
.16 




.01 
.06 



1.16 




.12 


.45 




.50 






.07 
.54 



0.69 
.66 
.04 

T. 

1.76 

3.38 


.81 
.42 
.61 
.06 


.13 
.24 



3.30 
.91 


.90 
.28 




1.33 



0.77 
.80 



2.09 

1.20 
.34 
.18 

1.83 

4.57 
.06 

1.25 





2.54 

2.43 
.11 
.20 

1.70 

2.94 


.48 

2.13 
.55 
.70 





0.17 



1.27 
3.16 
5.30 

.34 
1.70 

.47 
1.38 

.75 

T. 
2.12 
ol. 64 
1.02 

.22 
4.79 

.57 

.58 
4.89 




1.34 
2.59 
2.45 
2.02 



4.50 
.33 



1.50 
4.19 



1.66 

.96 

1.53 

.10 

3.74 

.49 

.69 



4.62 

1.57 

1.37 

11.15 

6.48 

1 

2.03 
2.92 
3.25 
.24 
3.19 

3.50 
3.84 
7.05 
1.36 



3.16 



6.01 

.89 

.99 

3.70 

2.24 

.81 

1.63 

.76 

.33 

2.31 

4.54 

3.02 

4, 

6.50 

2.98 

1.61 

3.64 

2.29 

2.31 

7.29 

.97 

1.03 

.21 



2.10 
3.48 



.25 

.10 

.51 

.71 

a. 71 

o. 71 

a. 71 

1.97 

.03 

.53 

4.99 

.35 

1.03 

.94 

.04 

.35 





1.39 
3.24 
.61 
4.07 
2.13 




0.37 

1.15 
.26 
.22 

o. 14 

1.67 

0.67 

1.86 
.55 
.01 


.15 

1.26 
.57 




.15 





1.18 


.06 
.83 
.04 







0.03 












.01 

T. 


















.16 
.25 







8.67 



13.73 

8.93 

16.67 

9.20 

15.51 

9.46 

8.40 

9.58 

13.40 

8.24 

15.75 

7, 

18.59 

14.79 

18.02 

12.67 

13.76 

12.52 

15.44 

12.64 

7.29 

18.87 

17.26 

16.60 



12.95 



1 1nterpolated. 



Elsinore. 

[Elevation 1,300 feet.] 



1887 














0.16 
6.09 
1.41 

a2.49 
2.29 
3.43 
1.56 
3.59 
2.30 
.81 
.19 
5.32 
2.78 
4.80 
4.93 
6.51 
3.74 
6.81 
.08 
1.45 
6.86 
6.69 
14.83 


7.01 

.80 


0.06 
5.87 


1.54 
.08 


0.02 
.09 


0.05 



'id.ii 


1887 
1888 


15 08 


1887-88 


T. 
0.10 






0.16 
.06 


0.32 
.69 


1.72 
2.93 


4.04 
5.37 


22.08 


1888 




1897 


al.76 
.15 
.48 


4.61 
2.03 
2.50 
1.49 
7.72 
2.14 
2.24 
2.80 
3.57 
.14 
3.24 


3.69 

2.23 

3.56 

.78 


0.77 

.82 

.96 

.39 

.42 

2.64 

6.55 

4.14 

4.36 

11.98 

3.68 

.47 

2.29 

1.19 

1.38 

6.73 

.65 

.70 

.26 

1.14 




.23 


.77 
.10 
.30 

1.71 
.28 
.30 

1.59 
.07 
.18 


.35 
.25 

1.80 


.03 
1.32 
T. 
1.04 

.47 
T. 
T. 

.03 

.92 
1.46 

.04 

.04 




.13 



.01 
.18 



T. 
.21 






.08 
.05 


.04 








"6."62 
6.47 
5.98 
14.29 
9.65 
16.08 
6.65 
21.47 
25.96 
18.02 
11.90 
15.03 
14.14 
11.63 
10.47 
7.07 
12.48 
14.95 
21.53 


1897 
1898 
1899 
1900 
1901 
1902 
1903 
1904 
1905 
1906 
1907 
1908 
1909 
1910 
1911 
1912 
1913 
1914 
1915 
1916 


6 85 


1897-98 








T. 



.08 
O.02 



T. 



.09 

T. 


0.29 

T. 
T. 

.74 


O.05 
1.12 


.03 


.73 

.55 



.10 


.26 

T 
T. 



.40 

.82 
T. 

.19 


.30 

T. 

.58 



1.06 


.98 
.06 

1.08 
.13 
.05 

T. 
.12 
.07 

2.99 
.53 
.09 
.53 
.15 

6.87 


T. 
.04 
.69 

5.04 
.35 

1.26 





5.61 

1.34 
.08 
.24 

1.43 
.19 
.20 
.31 

1.12 
.56 
.55 
.04 


.19 

1.38 
.55 





3.04 

T. 
.91 
.20 

5.51 
.41 
.82 

6.65 
.14 
.80 

. 77 
1.83 
4.03 
2.23 


6.24 


1898-99 


7.27 


1899-1900 


8.86 


1900-01 

1901-02 


11.36 
11 99 


1902-03 


12 09 


1903-04 

1904-05 


8.98 
24 55 


1905-06 


27.17 


1906-07 


14 36 


1907-08 


11.04 


1908-09 


21.13 


1909-10 


6.37 


1910-11 


12.41 


1911-12 ... 


9 71 


1912-13 


7.68 


1913-14 


.55 
.65 
.20 


.25 
.75 



o" 


13.63 


1914-15 








.65 


16 49 


1915-16 








20.70 


1916 





.02 


.51 


.95 
























Means 


























13.48 




13.45 































a Interpolated. 

li Station discontinued; records Nov., 1912-Deo., 1915, by Temescal Water Co.: 
tr. S. Forest Service. 



records for 1916 by 



The precipitation at San Jacinto and Elsinore is almost entirely 
in the form of rain, but in some years considerable snow falls at 
Idyllwild. Most of the precipitation takes place during January, 
February, and March; that of November and December is less, gen- 
erally between 1 and 2 inches, and the average recorded precipitation 



SAN JACINTO BASIN. 13 

in October and April is less than 1 inch. May, June, July, August, 
and September are practically rainless, the recorded averages ranging 
from a trace to one-half inch and usually representing rare, unseason- 
able storms. The average number of rainy days in a year at San 
Jacinto is 39 and at Elsinore 31. At Los Angeles the average is 36, 
at Riverside 41, San Bernardino 44, and San Diego 43. The average 
number of clear days at San Jacinto is 236, at Elsinore 243. These 
averages may be compared with the average of 157 at Los Angeles, 
232 at Riverside, 213 at San Bernardino, and 266 at San Diego. 

Data regarding temperature are incomplete, but the average annual 
temperature at San Jacinto is 61.4° F., and at Elsinore 63.8°. These 
temperatures may be compared with the mean of 60.3° at Los An- 
geles, 63° at Riverside, 62.2° at San Bernardino, and 60.6° at San 
Diego. The minimum temperature recorded at San Jacinto is 20° 
F., that at Elsinore 18° F., and maybe compared with the minimum 
of 28° at Los Angeles, 21° at Riverside, 18° at San Bernardino, and 
25° at San Diego. 

The effect of low precipitation and high temperature is observable 
in the character of the native vegetation of the basin. Moderately 
thick growths of sage and other flowering plaiits cover the plains, and 
various vegetal types that are grouped under the general term chap- 
arral cover the lower moimtain slopes. Cottonwoods border the stream 
channels within the mountains and out upon the valleys, where there 
is sufficient moisture to sustain them, and pines and other conifers 
are found in the mountains above an elevation of 4,000 feet. Mingled 
with conifers but extending to lower points on the slopes are live 
oaks, walnuts, and, in the sheltered and moister areas, sycamores, 
birches, maples, and willows. Grasses and related plants suitable 
for forage grow on the lowlands during the winter and spring and on 
the higher slopes of the mountain ranges throughout the year. 

Owing to the large proportion of clear days and the high tempera- 
tures during the summer, evaporation from water surfaces and moist 
lands is so great that the quantity of water needed for irrigation is 
comparable with that in valleys to the north and northwest in the 
vicinity of Riverside and San Bernardino. Under the best irrigation 
practice in these districts the minimum quantity of water applied is 
30 inches, which, with the rainfall, means that the lands receive 
approximately 40 inches of water during the year. Under less care- 
ful practice water does not render so high a duty, and it is perhaps 
more usual to apply an amount equal to 40 or 50 inches in depth, the 
total, including applied water and rainfall, being by this practice 
equivalent to 50 or 60 inches. An effect of the high evaporation, 
due to the low precipitation and low humidity, is the accumulation 
of alkali at the surface where the water table lies within reach of 
capillarity and evaporation, say, about 8 feet below the surface. 



14 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

The saturated low areas of San Jacinto Valley, therefore, like those 
of other valleys in southern California, are incrusted with alkali or 
have alkaline soils. 

SETTLEMENT AND INDUSTRIES. 

Settlement in San Jacinto Valley, in the modem sense, dates from 
the construction of the California Southern Railroad from San Ber- 
nardino across Perris Valley and through the Elsinore Basin and 
Temecula Canyon to San Diego in 1883. The hne through Temecula 
Canyon was washed out the year after it was constructed and has 
not been rebuilt, but the building of the railroad served to open the 
valley, and the population has increased with considerable rapidity 
since that time. Prior to the early eighties the large ranchos, which 
consist of Spanish grants and are used chiefly for grazing, represented 
practically the only settlement except the scattered groups of Mission 
Indians. Now thriving towns have been estabhshed, of which Perris, 
in the midst of Perris Valley, Elsinore, on the northern shore of 
Elsinore Lake, and San Jacinto and Hemet, in the valley opposite 
the mouth of San Jacinto Canyon, are the largest. According to the 
census of 1910 Elsinorej contained about 500 inhabitants, Hemet and 
San Jacinto nearly 1,000 each, and Perris Township (separate figures 
for the village not being available), nearly 1,500. The settlement at 
Elsinore is due chiefly to the grain-raising and cattle industries of 
Temecula and Murrieta valleys, the fruit growing west and south of 
the lake, and the tourist travel that is attracted by the mineral 
springs. 

Perris Valley has long been known as a grain-producing center. 
Dry farming was early practiced over most of the adjacent plains, 
but since the pumping plants have been used to supply water for irri- 
gation many of the grain fields have been transformed into fields of 
alfalfa, interspersed here and there with orchards of deciduous trees, 
and dairying has become an important local industry. On the higher 
lands about Moreno there were at one time 2,000 or 3,000 acres of 
orange groves irrigated by water brought from Bear Valley reservoir 
through the Alessandro pipe hne. As the water rights of this section 
were among the latest of those depending on the supply from Bear 
Valley, the shortage that resulted from the ten-year period of drought 
beginning with the winter of 1893-94 made it impossible to dehver 
water to this district. Many of the original groves, some of which 
had reached maturity and were beginning to bear, therefore died, 
and at present most of cultivable land in tliis region is again used to 
produce grain. Several hundred acres of thriving orchards north 
and west of Moreno are, however, irrigated in part by water pumped 
from wells and in part by water brought in the old canal from Mill 
Creek. 



SAN JACIKTO BASIN". 15 

The greatest development during tlie last decade has been in the 
settlement clustered about the mouth of San Jacinto Canyon. In 
1886, in order to increase the supply of water obtainable for the irri- 
gation of these lands from the normal flow of the San Jacinto and its 
tributaries, an enterprise was planned which contemplated the build- 
ing of an impounding reservoir in Hemet Valley, 2,700 feet above 
the lands to be irrigated, and during the wet period preceding the 
drought of 1893-94 a large canal system was constructed for the dis- 
tribution of these waters. The Hemet dam was not completed until 
1895, partly because of difficulty in financing the project and in 
transporting material for construction over the steep mountain roads 
which alone offered access to the dam site, and partly because of 
interfereijce due to the excessive floods of the early nineties. When 
the dam was completed systematic development was begun, and, 
although checked, as were other irrigation enterprises in southern 
Cahfornia during the years of drought, it has since been resumed 
imtil now several thousand acres in the vicinity of Hemet and San 
Jacinto are planted to alfalfa, fruits, and vegetables. The utihzation 
of the ground water pumped from the deep, saturated alluvium of 
the lowlands has been a large factor in this growth and has been made 
possible by the perfection of internal-combustion engines and of elec- 
tric power derived from cheap oil fuel and from water power. 

Contemporaneous with the earlier agricultural growth in the basin 
were sporadic attempts at mining, some of which caused considerable 
local excitement, as, for example, in the hills west of Perris, at the 
old Goodhope mine, which at one time produced gold, and at the 
Gavilan mine, a few mUes to the northwest. Perhaps the most sensa- 
tional of the mining excitements centered around the Cajalco tin mine 
in the hills about 10 miles southwest, of Riverside. Extravagant 
statements made by an American mining promoter 'induced Enghsh 
capitahsts to invest in this enterprise, and for a year or more this 
property was the scene of intense activity. Shafts were sunk, drifts 
were driven, and glowing reports of ore bodies in sight were forwarded 
to the Enghsh stockholders. Meanwhile the local manager and his 
assistants were Uving a life of extravagant dissipation, silencing local 
objections to the fraudulent operations by patronage to merchants 
and by employment given to residents of the region. A period of 
reckoning came, however. The Enghsh directors sent a representa- 
tive to the scene of operations, the American manager fled, and the 
property was abandoned. Small deposits of copper carbonate half a 
mile northwest of the tin workings have been prospected from time 
to time, but ore in workable amount has not been discovered. 

An attempt was made at one time to mine coal at Alberhill, 4 or 5 
miles northwest of Elsinore. The coal proved to be of inferior quaUty 
and of insufficient thickness for profitable working, but the associated 



16 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAl7 

clay deposits have been worked for pottery. The manufacture of 
tile and vitrified sewer pipe, which was undertaken at a large plant 
erected at Terra Cotta, was not commercially profitable, but from 
several points near by the clay has been dug and shipped to works at 
Riverside and other places. During the summer of 1916 several 
kilns were also being erected at AlberhiU by the Los Angeles Pressed 
Brick Co. 

From time to time reports of the finding of deposits of gem min- 
erals, such as garnet, kunzite, and tourmaline, of the varieties found 
at Pala and Mesa Grande in the mountains to the south, have caused 
local excitement, but no valuable discoveries of such minerals have 
been made in the San Jacinto region. 

Near the mouth of Lamb Canyon, on the northeast side of San 
Jacinto Valley, are ledges of crystalline limestone that was formerly 
burned in kilns at the canyon mouth and supplied to local markets, 
but the plant has been idle for a number of years. 

About 5 miles west of Perris is a syenitic rock that has been quar- 
ried for use in monuments. In the same region and also northeast 
of Elsinore and a few miles southeast of Temecula, the gray, coarsely 
crystalline granite has been quarried as a building and monument 
stone. 

Magnesite has been found in the hills 3 miles east of Winchester as 
a stockwork of veins in deeply decomposed serpentine.^ From 
1908-1912 considerable material was quarried at this place and 
shipped to the reduction works at Los Angeles. 

During 1914-15 veins of feldspar in the granitic coimtry rock at 
Hemet Butte, 3 miles south of Hemet, were quarried. 

Small sawmills in the mountains northeast of San Jacinto formerly 
supplied considerable rough pine lumber for local use, but of late 
years this industry has declined. 

IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. 
LAKE HEMET WATER CO. 

The principal irrigation work in the San Jacinto basin is that 
planned and controlled by the Lake Hemet Water Co. and the 
Hemet Land Co. The Lake Hemet Water Co. was organized in 
March, 1887, by stockholders of the Hemet Land Co. The water 
company owns the Hemet dam and the distributing system, rep- 
resented by 100,000 shares of stock issued at $20 a share. Although 
there were originally a number of stockholders, the control came to 
be exercised by Mr. W. F. Whittier, who purchased the interests of 
many of the owners of stock. Construction of the Hemet reservoir 

»Hess, F. L., The magnesite deposits of Califomia: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 355, pp. 38-39, 1908. 
Gale, H. S., Late developments of magnesite deposits in California and Nevada: XJ. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 
540, pp. 516-519, 1914. 



SAN JACINTO BASIN, 17 

was begun in 1890, and after a number of delays, due to difEculties in 
the transportation of the material and to interruptions by storms, 
the reservoir was completed in 1893 to a height of 110 feet. In 1895 
it was brought to 122| feet, the capacity at this height being 10,500 
acre-feet. The engineer of the dam was the late J. D. Schuyler, from 
whose description the following summary is quoted: ^ 

It [the Hemet dam] is built of granite rubble, laid in Portland-cement concrete, 
and is now 122.5 feet above the creek bed, or 135.5 feet above lowest foundations, and 
is to be canied 30 feet higher. It is 100 feet thick at base, and has a batter of 1 in 10 
on the water face and 5 in 10 on the lower side. Its present crest is 260 feet long, while 
the length at bottom is but 40 feet. The dam was carried up with full profile to the 
height of 110 feet above base, at which point the thickness is 30 feet. For the exten- 
sion to the 122.5-foot level an offset of 18 feet was made and the wall reduced to 12 
feet at base and 10 feet at top. A notch 1 foot deep and 50 feet long was left in the 
center for an overflow or spUlwaj^ although it is anticipated that extreme floods may- 
pass over the entire length of the wall, as they did to the depth of several feet in 
January, 1893, when the dam was 107 feet in height. The dam is arched upstream, 
with a radius of 225.4 feet at its upper face, on the 150-foot contom-, and has a more 
substantial appearance by reason of this curvatui-e. 

From the reservoir, at an elevation of 4,200 feet, the outlet is 
through the rocky canyon of the South Fork of the San Jacinto to a 
pick-up weir at the mouth of Strawberry Creek, at an elevation of 
2,200 feet. From this point a wooden conduit 3.24 miles long con- 
nects with 2 miles of 22-inch pipe, at the lower end of which 5 miles 
of open masonry ditch dehvers water to the distributing reservoir 
at Reservoir Butte. From this reservoir, which covers about 20 acres 
and has a capacity of approximately 90 acre-feet, laterals distribute 
the water over the 5,000 acres included in the tract of the Hemet 
Land Co. The principal ditches and the lands irrigated in 1915 are 
shown in Plate V (in pocket). The extent to which irrigation has 
been carried in the region is shown in Plate VI (in pocket) , which 
compares lands irrigated in 1915 with those irrigated in 1904. 

The Hemet Land Co. purchased the EstudiUo ranch and certain 
railroad sections and was incorporated by the same interests that 
formed the Lake Hemet Water Co. A large part of the lands in the 
tract is still owned by the land company. The unit commonly used 
by the water company in seUing water is the day-inch — that is, a 
flow of 1 miner's inch for 24 hours. The basis of sale of the water 
rights is usually 1 miner's inch to 8 acres, which is equivalent to 
1 second-foot of water for 200 acres of land. Water rights under this 
system have brought a maximum price of $1,000 per miner's inch, 
a sum equal to ^125 for the right to enough water to irrigate 1 
acre. Most of the land irrigated by the Hemet company is used for 
fruits of deciduous trees and oHves, although there are several 

1 Schuyler, J. D., Reservoirs for irrigation: V. S. Geol. Survey Eigliteentli Ann. Kept., pt. 4, p. 662, 1897. 
71065°— 1^—WSP 429 2 



18 GEOUliTD WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

flourishing orange groves and a part of the irrigated land is planted 
in alfalfa and vegetables. 

A company controlled by the Lake Hemet Water Co., and organized 
to supply the town of Hemet with water for domestic use, distributes 
approximately 250 miner's inches of water. 

FAIBTIEW LAND & WATER CO. 

The Fairview Land & Water Co. was incorporated in 1885, and 
filed upon several thousand inches of water on the North Fork of 
San Jacinto River, on the South Fork below the mouth of Strawberry 
Creek, and on the stream below the junction of the two forks, for use 
on lands in the vicinity of Florida. Controversies between the Fair- 
view company and the Hemet Land & Water Co. over water rights 
were settled in 1887 by an agreement which confirmed the claim of 
the Hemet company to a part of the waters of the South Fork and 
the claim of the Fairview company to those of the North Fork and 
to another part of the waters of the South Fork. The Fairview 
company was organized, in a way not unusual in southern California, 
into a land company and a water company, the land company hold- 
ing the stock of the water company and distributing it with lands 
sold. This company came into the control of Mr. W. F. Whittier 
about 1901, and its interests and those of the Hemet company were 
harmonized by common ownership. 

CITIZENS WATER CO. 

In 1890-91 the San Jacinto VaUey Water Co. was organized. It 
constructed a large earthen ditch down each side of Winchester 
Valley, the apparent intention being to irrigate aU the southern part 
of the basin with water taken from San Jacinto River. Water was 
supplied through these ditches for a few years, but as the amount 
available at the intake was small and the seepage through the ditches 
was great, little water could be delivered at the lower part of the 
system. Later this company was transferred to the San Jacinto & 
Pleasant Valley Water Co., an irrigation system was formed under 
the Wright law, and the lands were bonded. The experience of this 
district, however, was similar to that of most others organized 
imder the same lav/, and operations were fuially suspended, the 
bonds were repudiated, the San Jacinto Water Co. repurchased the 
system, and the attempt to supply water to the Winchester Valley 
was abandoned. Within recent years the name has been changed 
to the Citizens Water Co. Water is now distributed to certain lands 
in the vicinity of Bowers southeast of San Jacinto and also to lands 
south and southwest of San Jacinto. 

For a number of years water was obtained solely from an intake 
pit scooped out in the south side of the river bed about 3 miles above 
San Jacinto, from which it was conducted to the lands through pipe 



SAN JACIKTO BASIN". 19 

and cement-lined canals. Within recent years, as the area irrigated 
has been increased and the water available for use by gravity has to 
some extent decreased, pumping plants have been established both 
near the river channel and at wells sunk in the valley lands by the 
company. 

LAKEVIEW WATER CO. 

The Lakeview Water Co. was organized to colonize and utilize the 
lower lands on the northwest side of Lakeview Mountains near the 
center of the San Jacinto basin. These lands are fertile and sunny 
and are weU adapted to the cultivation of crops more profitable than 
grain if water can be applied to them. Near Gasa Loma, on the San 
Jacinto Viejo ranch, water is so close to the surface that much of the 
land is marshy part of the year. Forty acres of land were purchased 
here from the ranch, wells were sunk in 1900 or 1901, and a flume 
and canal were constructed to the Lakeview tract. It was expected 
that sufficient water would be obtained by flowing wells to fill the 
canal and irrigate the tract, but in this expectation the company was 
disappointed, the flow being so small that pumping was necessary. 
At this period the modern gasoline or distillate engine had not at- 
tained its present perfection, and pumping by steam power proved 
unsuccessful. For this reason and because of financial troubles the 
project was abandoned. Most of the olive orchards that were set 
out are still living, but other trees less capable of withstanding 
drought have died and the land is again used for dry farming. 

PERRIS AND ALESSANDBO IRRIGATION DISTRICTS. 

The Perris and Alessandro districts, in the western and north- 
western part of the San Jacinto basin, were organized under the 
Wright law after the construction of the Bear Valley dam in San 
Bernardino Mountains in 1884. Much money was spent in building 
the Alessandro pipe line and in laying a system of underground dis- 
tributing mains. The Santa Ana canal, designed to bring water from 
Santa Ana River to these districts was also partly built. Water was 
first brought in in 1892, and was supplied until 1896, during which 
time an area of 2,500 to 3,000 acres was set out in orchards, chiefly 
deciduous trees. The growth of the Redlands district and the de- 
mand for water to supply the prior rights there, together with the 
decreasing supply which resulted from the lessened rainfall, led to a 
practical discontinuance of the attempt to supply water from this 
area to the Alessandro Valley. Most of the orchards in the district 
died, and the greater part of the country has reverted to grain rais- 
ing, but a few orchards on the higher land above Moreno and Armada 
have been irrigated in part by water brought from Mill Creek through 
the old pipe line and in part by ground water obtained by pumping 
plants. 



20 GROUND Yv'ATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

GHOTJND WATER. 
SOURCE OF SUPPLY. 

The ground water of the San Jacinto basin is derived wholly fronn 
the rain and snow that fall on its surface. This statement may appear 
to most readers to be self-evident, but the theory is so often advanced 
that the ground water may be supplied by lakes or large rivers, dis-. 
tant perhaps many miles, that it seem^s worth while to point out 
that the bedrock forming the hills and mountains bordering most 
valleys make a barrier more impenetrable than any dam constructed 
by man. The amount of water beneath the surface in a di-ainage 
basin depends chiefly on the size of the basin and the precipitation 
that annually reaches the surface. Of the total precipitation in the 
San Jacinto basin a considerable part runs into San Jacinto River 
and another considerable part is doubtless evaporated fi*om the lower 
lands; only a small part penetrates to the imderlying sands and gravels 
and replenishes the ground water. 

The lower lands of the San Jacinto basin are separated into a num- 
ber of more or less detached valleys to which the adjacent slopes are 
directly tributary and from which the run-off is small. The total 
run-off from the basin as a whole is therefore low, and consequently 
the proportion of the total precipitation that replenishes the ground- 
water supply is fairly large. 

On December 1, 1915, a gage was estabhshed on San Jacinto River 
at the mouth of Railroad Canyon, near the point at which the river 
discharges into Elsinore Lake. The record of daily stage observed 
during the succeeding winter, which was one of unusually heavy 
storms, shows that the total discharge from January 1 to September 
30, 1916, was approximately 130,000 acre-feet. The records obtained 
at this station are presented on page 73. 

To this discharge should probably be added about 8,000 acre-feet 
of water caught in Hemet reservoir. 

The area of the drainage basin above the gage is 717 square miles. 
The total run-off of about 138,000 acre-feet produced by the unusu- 
ally wet winter of 1916 was therefore equivalent to a layer of water 
3.6 inches deep over the entire basin. This was only about 20 per cent 
of the rainfall for that winter at Elsinore and San Jacinto, and doubt- 
less the run-off is less during years of more nearly normal rainfall. 
By far the greater part of the water in San Jacinto River comes from 
the mountain slopes in the eastern part of the basin, where, how- 
ever, the rainfall is much heavier than at Elsinore and San Jacinto. 

In the San Jacinto basin the groimd water is stored almost entirely 
in the deposits of sand and gravel tJiat underlie the valleys. In some 
places the lowlands are bordered by partly consolidated sediments 
which yield small quantitites of water, but the underlying granitic 



SAN JACINTO BASIN. 21 

and other crystalline rocks contain very little water, even for the 
supply of domestic wells. 

As the water stored in the valley fill is derived from the precipita- 
tion on the surroimding slopes, the amount that can be annually with- 
drawn by pumyjing plants depends on that annually supplied by seep- 
age. If the pumps remove more water than is supplied in the course 
of the year the groxind-water level will be lowered; if the rate of sup- 
ply is equal to that of withdrawal the ground-water will rem-ain about 
constant. 

In the loose sand and gTavel of valleys like those of the San Jacinto 
basin the water level will be locally depressed near weUs that are being 
pumped, but the depressions caused while pumping a well probably 
do not extend far from that weU. The records of depths to water in 
certain wells in the San Jacinto basin, obtained from 1904 to 1916, are 
beheved to fui-nish rehable data concerning the changes in the ground- 
water level in various parts of this region. The results obtained by 
measurements in March, 1904, and in November, 1915, are indicated 
in Plate III (in pocket) by the lines showing depth to water. 

Beneath certain, areas in the basin water collects under sufficient 
pressure to force it to or above the surface when cased wells are put 
down. The only artesian area of notable size in the San Jacinto 



Flov/in? 
— II o 




r7^lt%\f^,"-i 1'; ^"iJ^V Bid rock -' fil-~j)jlyC, :s-, T'oc'-r^'i-^'vl^-G'' \^^''C-','?v -" ' ^ 



FiGUEE 2. — Diagram showing origin of artesian pressure in the San Jacinto basin. 

basin is that which extends northwestward through San Jacinto Val- 
ley proper; but flowing weUs have also been obtained about 2 miles 
west of Lakeview and near Temescal. (See PI. Ill,- in pocket.) A 
well at the northwest end of Elsinore Lake also yields flowing water 
obtained in the loose materials at the base of Elsinore Mountains. 
The conditions tmder which artesian water probably exists in all 
these places are shown in figure 2. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

In connection with the study of the San Jacinto and Temecula 
basins, samples of water from 108 wells and springs, and 4 samples of 
surface waters (from Hemet irrigation canal, Temecula River, and 
Elsinore Lake) were collected for chemical examination. These 



22 GROUND WATER IK SAN" JACINTO AND TTSMECULA BASINS, CAt, 

waters were tested by Dr. S. C. Dinsmore, under contract, in his labo- 
ratory at Reno, Nev., partial analyses being made of 43 samples, and 
less detailed examination of the others. Data concerning the loca- 
tion, ownership, and use of the waters examined, including analyses 
and assays of the waters, are given in the accompanying tables. 
From the figures giving the amounts of each substance present the 
relative quantities of scale-forming and foaming ingredients have 
been computed according to formulas developed by Stabler,^ and an 
"alkali coefficient" indicating the approximate suitability of the 
water for irrigation has also been computed from Stabler's formula.^ 
From the determined substances present and the computed quanti- 
ties the waters have been classified as to their chemical character 
and as to their value for domestic supplies, for irrigation, and for use 
in boilers. 

The suitability of water for domestic use is based partly on the 
amount of solid matter in solution and partly on the amounts of 
specific constituents. 

Water containing considerable amounts of alkaline salts in solu- 
tion is injurious to vegetation because, through- evaporation, the 
alkali gradually accumulates near the surface and becomes so con- 
centrated as seriously to affect the growth of the plants. The quality 
of the waters for irrigation has been classified by computing from 
Stabler's formula^ the "alkali coefficient" — defined as the depth in 
inches of water which, if distributed through a depth of 4 feet, would 
on evaporation yield sufficient alkali to render the soil injurious to 
the most sensitive crops. This coefficient does not take account of 
other factors, such as the methods of irrigation, conditions of drain- 
age, and variety of crops grown, but it indicates in a general way the 
suitability of the water for irrigation, as is shown by the classifica- 
tion, which is based on usual irrigation practice in the United States. 

Classification of water for irrigation. 



Alkali coefficient 
(inches). 


Classification. 


Remarks. 


More than 18 


Good 


Water used successfully for many years without special care to 
prevent accumulation of alkali. 

Special care to prevent gradual accumulation of alkali has gen- 
erally been found necessary except in loose soils with free 
drainage. 

Care in selection of soils has been found to be 'imperative and 
artificial drainage has frequently been found necessary. 

Water practically valueless for irrigation. 


18 to 6 . .... 


Fair 


5.9 to 1.2 


Poor 


Less than 1.2 


Bad 







The mineral matter in water for use in boilers may cause scale, 
foaming, or corrosion. Scale is formed by the deposition within the 
boiler of certain substances in the water that go out of solution v/hen 

1 stabler, Herman, Some stream waters of the western United States: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply 
Paper 274, pp. 165-181, 1911. 
' Op. cit., p. 177. 



SAN JACINTO AREA, 



23 



it is heated and concentrated. Foaming in boilers, or tlie formation 
of masses of bubbles on the water surface and in the steam space 
above the water is usually caused by the concentration of certain of 
the mineral salts or by fine mud or other suspended matter in the 
water. Corrosion or pitting of the boiler iron is caused by the solvent 
action of acids in the boiler water. The tendency to produce corro- 
sion is also indicated in accordance with the formula developed by 
Stabler.^ The suitability of waters for use in boilers, as determined 
from their incrusting, corroding, and foaming constituents, may be 
expressed according to the following classification: 

Ratings of waters for boiler use according to proportions of incrusting, corroding, and 

foaming constituents M 



Incrusting and corroding constituents. 


Foaming constituents. 


Parts per million. 


Classification. 


Parts per million. 


Classification. 


More 
than — 


Not more 
than— 


More 
than— 


Not more 
than— 




90 
200 
430 
680 


Good. 
Fair. 
Poor. 
Bad. 
Very bad. 




150 
250 
400 


Good. 
Fair. 
Bad. 
Very bad. 


90 
200 
430 

680 


150 
250 
400 











" Adapted from tables published by Am. Ky. Eng 
1904, and vol. 9, p. 134, 1908. 



and Maintenance of Way Assoc. Proc, vol. 5, p. 595, 



In the analytical tables, under ''probability of corrosion," C indi- 
cates that the water has corrosive properties, N that it is noncorro- 
sive, and a question mark ( ?) that corrosion may or m.ay not take 
place. The scale-forming, foaming, and corrosive tendencies of each 
water are taken into consideration in determining its suitability for 
use in boilers, and the classification indicated in the column headed 
"quality for boiler use," represents judgment of the combined char- 
acters. In the column headed "chemical character," the general 
character of each water is indicated by the chemical symbols of the 
predominant substances present; the symbols Ca or Na, for example, 
indicate that the alkaline earths [calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg)] 
or the alkalies [sodium (Na) and potassium (K)] are the predominant 
basic radicles present ; the symbols CO3, SO4, or CI indicate the pre- 
dominance of the acid radicles — carbonate, sulphate, or chloride. 

DESCRIPTION BY AREAS. 

SAN JACINTO AEEA. 
LOCATION AND CHAKACTEa. 

The San Jacinto area comprises the extensive lowlands, for the 
most part rather sandy, that border the south side of the river 
channel, between Park Hill, northwest of San Jacinto, and the mouth 

1 Op. cit., pp. 174-175. 



24 GEOUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND' lEMECULA BASINS, CAL, 

of the river canyon, 8 miles southeast of the city. (See PL IV, B, 
and PI. VII.) A bench 10 to 20 feet high, extending from Park HiU 
to Casa Loma marks a former bank of the river and separates the 
present lowlands from the somewhat higher mesa lands near Hemet. 
The area is bordered on the west by Lakeview Mountains and the 
granitic hills that culminate in Mount Russell. The northeastern 
limit of the area is sharply marked by the steep mountain slopes 
along the San Jacinto fault line. 

HOT SPRINGS. 

Along the northern side of the valley are several groups of hot 
springs whose origin appears to be related to the San Jacinto fault. 

At Eden Hot Springs (PI. IV, A), the most northern group along 
this fault, eight or more small springs rise within a space of 100 
yards at the base of a steep granitic slope. The water issues from 
the granite less than 200 yards beyond the border of the shales and 
gravels that form the Badlands to the northwest, but the presence 
of the springs does not seem to be related to that of the sediments. 
The maximum temperature of the water is about 112° F. The 
water is moderately sulphureted but does not seem to be otherwise 
notably minerahzed. Analysis of water from the principal spring 
(No. 16 on map, PL III, in pocket; see table facingp. 30) shows it to 
be a moderately mineralized sodium-sulphate water, containing sec- 
ondary amounts of carbonate and only a small amount of calcium. 
The presence of normal carbonates to the extent of 14 parts per 
million is noteworthy. 

Rehef Hot Springs, also known as San Jacinto Hot Springs, are 
at the edge of the vaUey, 6 miles southeast of the Eden springs. At 
the Relief group six thermal springs issue from a bank of disinte- 
grated granite, and considerable water also rises in an adjacent marshy 
area several acres in extent. The place has been a resort for more 
than twenty years, a frame hotel and cottages and tents forming a 
little settlement in a grove adjacent to the springs. The waters are 
sulphureted and also taste distinctly alkaline. SmaU amounts of 
efflorescent alkaline salts form on the banks beside the springs, and the 
iron in the water, although present only as a trace, stains the towels and 
enameled tubs. An analysis of water from the spring (No. 89, PL III) 
that is used cliiefly for bathing (table facing p. 30) shows the general 
character of the watera from these springs, though they differ some- 
what in taste and doubtless in the relative amounts of substances m 
solution. The water analyzed is rather highly minerahzed and of 
the sodium-chloride type, though sulphate is an important constit- 
uent. Carbonate is absent and bicarbonate is remarkably low in 
amount. 



U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



•WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 429 PLATE IV 




A. EDEN HOT SPRINGS; TERTIARY SEDIMENTS (ON THE LEFT) AND GRANITIC 
ROCKS (ON THE RIGHT). 




-B. SAN JACINTO VALLEY, LOOKING SOUTHWARD FROM RELIEF HOT SPRINGS. 



I 



SAN JACINTO AEEA. • 25 

Soboba Hot Springs, or Ritchey Hot Springs, about 5 miles east 
of tbe San Jacinto springs, are also situated near the base of the 
mountains. Six springs furnish water that ranges in temperature 
from 70° to 111° F., and is used for domestic supply and to irrigate 
a small orchard and garden. The Soboba springs issue in a steep, 
narrow ravine whose precipitous walls consist largely of crushed 
gneiss. Recent landshde patches within the raviae also indicate 
that the rocks of this area are broken and disturbed and furnish 
local evidence that the high temperature of the spring waters is 
due to crushing and shpping of the rocks. Water from the spring 
highest on the hillside (No. 123, PI. Ill) is shown by analysis tabu- 
lated opposite page 30 to be moderate in mineral content, but it is 
interesting because of its comparatively high content of sihca — one- 
quarter of the total sohds — and for nearly as great a proportion of 
normal carbonate. This high content of silica and carbonate, 
together with the large proportion of alkahes and very little calcium 
and magnesium, shows plainly that the water is derived from granitic 
rocks. The following analysis of water from another spring of the 
group shows it to be somewhat more concentrated. It is high in 
silica and bicarbonate, but carbonate is reported absent. Sodium is 
proportionately high, but calcium and magnesium are present in 
almost insignificant amounts. 

Analysis of water from Soboba Hot Springs. 

[Artlmr R. Maas, analyst; about 1910.] 

Parts per 
! million. 

: Silica (SiOj) 95 

Iron and aluminum oxides (Fe203+Al203) 1.3 

Calcium (Ca) 2.0 

Magnesium (Mg) 3 

Sodium (Na) 128 

Potassium (K) 2. 5 

Lithium (Li) Tr. 

Carbonate radicle (COg) ." 

Bicaxbonate radicle (HCO3) 214 

Sulphate radicle (SO4) 59 

Chloride radicle (CI) 38 

Phosphate radicle (PO4) Tr. 

Nitrite radicle (NOj) Tr. 

Total solids by summation (bicarbonate calculated as carbonate) . 431 

On Indian Creek, 5 miles southwest of the Soboba springs, two or 
more springs of tepid, faintly sulphureted water issue from the 
granite, practically on the upper border of the sedimentary deposits 
of gravel and clay that cover the lower slopes. In 1915 the springs 
were unimproved but they were used occasionally by the local 
inhabitants for bathing. 



26 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 



t2 SaSiOrSp: 



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SAN JACIJiTTO AEEA. 27 



ARTESIAN AREA. 



For tlie last 40 years or more flowing artesian wells have furnished 
water in the vicinity of San Jacinto. Many wells 6 or 8 inches in 
diameter have supphed water for irrigation of small tracts and 
numerous 2-inch wells have supplied domestic needs. It has been 
estimated that fully 1,500 wells, all flowing, have been sunk in the 
artesian area. The extent of this artesian area, as approximately 
outhned by the numerous wells, is shown in Plate III (in pocket). 
The northwestern limit of the flowing-well area was formerly con- 
sidered to be about at Casa Loma, but since 1911 a number of wells, 
still farther northwest, in the area known as Brownlands, have 
obtained flowing water. On the north the area in which weUs flow 
extends across the river channel nearly to the base of the moimtain 
slopes. On the south it is fairly definitely limited by a low bench 
that separates the lowlands of the valley from the shghtly higher 
mesa lands stiU farther south. This bench is practically continuous 
from the head of the valley east of Florida to Casa Loma and probably 
marks the southern bank of the river at a former time. 

The depth to layers of sand and gravel that carry artesian water 
is in general between 100 and 200 feet throughout the valley. The 
depth at which flowing water may be obtained varies considerably 
from place to place, however, and in some localities it varies greatly 
within short distances. This variation is exemplified at the ranch 
of Mr. H. C. Warren, about 2 miles northwest of San Jacinto. One 
well here obtained flowing water at a depth of 120 feet, but another 
well only 18 feet away was sunk to a depth of 254 feet before ob- 
taining a good flow. Two other wells near by found flowing water 
at depths of 150 and 320 feet, respectively. 

The logs of five flowing wells (Nos. 90, 93, 96, 98, and 121 on PI. 
Ill, in pocket), sunk a number of years ago in the lowland northwest 
of San Jacinto, are given in figure 3. These logs show the variation 
in the occm-rence and thickness of the water-bearing layers and indi- 
cate that the flowing water is obtained from the sand and gravel of 
the valley aUuvium. It is possible, however, that in a few places 
the sedimentary beds that form Park HiU and the hill at Casa Loma 
are penetrated by some wells, as the driUings from these materials 
probably would not be distinguishable from those from more recent 
gravels. 

The greatly increased demand on the ground-water supply, due 
to the extensive development of irrigation and the establishment of 
pumping plants, has noticeably reduced the artesian pressure within 
recent years, so that flowing wells yield less than they did a number 
of years ago. In the upper, southeastern end of the area a number 
of wells have entirely ceased to flow, but throughout this part of 
the area the weUs are very responsive to the seasonal changes in the 



28 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO ANB TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 



draft, and some of them which cease to flow in the early summer 
when the pumping for irrigation is begun resume flowing shortly 
after the general reduction of irrigation ia the faU. A smaller but 
noticeable change is also produced by the cumulative eflect of the 
varying rainfall of different winters. The following records of fluc- 
tuation have been kept at two weEs near the upper Hmit of the 
artesian area. 

Water levels in observation u-ells in the San Jacinto area. 

Well No. 125. at Bowers.i 



[Owner, C. A. Holmes (rormerly owned by J. Carmichael).) 



1904 
Mar. 
Oct. 
Nov. 
Dec. 

1905 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Mar. 
Apr. 
May 
June 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Nov. 
Dec.' 

1906 
Jan. 
Mar. 
May 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Dec. 

1907 
Feb. 
May 



Depth to 
water 
(fset). 

.. 3.0 

.. 7.6 

.. 7.8 

.. 8.0 



8.1 

6. 7 

4. 2 

2. 3 

19 Flowing. 

21 Flo-wing. 

22 Flomng. 



3.7 

2. 5 

2. 7 

3.1 

2. 7 

2. 7 

11 Flowing. 

3 Flowing. 

26 Flowing. 

20 Flowing. 

13 Flowing. 

18 Flowing. 



Depth to 
water 
(feet). 

-- O 

-- o 



1907. • 

Aug. 30 ■. 

Dec. 31 

1909. 

Apr. 3 Flowing. 

July 11 (2) 

Oct. 14 Flowing. 

1910. 
Feb. 3 Flowing. 

Aug. 11 n.o 

1911. 
Jan. 5 n.O 

1912. 
May 28 ^30 

1913. 
Oct. 18 10.7 

1914. 

Feb. 5 6.2 

Apr. 17 4.7 

June 25 5. 7 

Nov. 21 5.7 

1915. 

May 21 Flowing slightly. 

Oct. 31 4.8 

1916. 

May 5 Flowing. 

Nov. 15 Flowing sUghtly. 



1 This number corresponds to the number of well on PI. lU and to well No. 81 of Water-Supply Papers 
231, 2.51, and 331. 

2 Flo%«ng 1 miner's inch. 

3 Approximate measurement. 



SAN JACINTO AEEA. 



29 



1904. 


Mar. 


1 


Oct. 


19 


Nov. 


19 


Dec. 


16 


1905. 


Jan. 


14 


Feb. 


23 


Mar. 


26 


Apr. 


19 


May 


19 


June 


20 


July 


22 


Aug. 


18 


Sept. 


22 


Nov. 


10 



Weil No. 126, one-half mile east of Bowers.' 

(Owner, H. R. Kumler (formerly owned by Mrs. Ruby Hewitt).] 



Depth to 
water 
(feet). 

. . 14. 

.. 11.4 

. . 11. 7 

. . 12. 2 



12.3 

10.1 

5.4 

2.1 

C) 

(=) 

0.6 
1.7 
3.2 

4.6 



1905. 

Dec. 22. 

1906. 



Depth to 
water 
(feet). 

.. 5.6 



Jan. 
Mar. 
May 
June 

Aug. 
Sept. 



30. 

17. 
11. 



6.4 
5.5 



29 Flowing. 

3 (*) 

26 Flowing. 

1907. 

Aug. 30 Flowing. 

Dec. 31 Flowing. 

1909. 

Apr. 3 Flowing. 

1915. 
Nov. 1 «5.0 



These records are also shown graphically in figure 4. 



1904 1905 190S 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915' 1916 



a 

Z 5 

lo 





Flowing 




Flowing 




















. 


• .-., 


.• 












• 










•.. 


,* 


















o * * 
















Well No. 


125 




■ 














Flowing 














































' 


• 






















••, 










"^ 


Je.W No. 


I2G 













Figure 4. — Diagram showing fluctation of water level in record wells near Bowers. 

In this locality the effect of the winters of excessive rainfall in 
1905-1907 is clearly shown by the resumption of flow of wells near 
the border of the artesian area, but of late years the supply of ground 
water has been locally affected by the use of pumping plants to 
obtain water for irrigation. 

GROUND-WATER LEVEL. 

Throughout much of the San Jacinto area the ground-water level is 
within 20 feet of the surface and in the greater part of it is less than 
10 feet below the surface. So far as the available records show 
there has been no marked change in the ground-water level near 
San Jacinto nor in the Hmits of the area of flowing wells during the 
period from 1904 to 1915, though the artesian head has diminished 
in the upper part of this area. The continued use of weUs and 
pumping plants for irrigation will, however, further decrease the 



1 This is record well 83 of Water-Supply Papers 213, 251, and 331. 

2 Flowing good stream. 

3 Flowing 5 miner's inches. 



* Flowing 7 miner's inches. 
5 Approximate measm'ement. 



30 GROUND WATER IZST SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

artesian head, and the area ia which wells wiU flow may shrink 
considerably unless a series of wet years provides suf&cient grouiid 
water to keep pace with the increased draft. In the lower hmds the 
ground-water level is at present so close to the surface, that it is 
improbable that the pumping lift wiU there become seriously great 
for a number of years. In the upper end of the valley, near Florida, 
the depth to water increases with the upward slope of the surface, 
but the ground-water table also slopes upward so that, alttiough in 
the vicinity of Florida the surface of the land rises 100 feet in a dis- 
tance of 1-^ miles, the depth to water increases only about 60 feet in 
that distance. 

iRHIGATION. 

Until about 1908 irrigation in the San Jacinto artesian area was 
restricted largely to the watering of such tracts of garden and alfaKa 
as could be served by the flowing wells. Fruit growing was also 
carried on in a small way, and dairying to the extent permitted by 
the small alfalfa fields. In recent years irrigation has become more 
extensively practiced, however. Small pumps have been installed 
at many of the old wells and at new wells of larger diameter, and 
many of these plants are conveniently operated by electric power. 
Several distillate pumping plants have also been installed in the 
artesian area and draw large quantities of water from the gi'ound 
supply. The approximate distribution of pumping plants and the 
lands under irrigation in 1915 are shown in Plate V (in pocket). 

In the pumping weUs it is customary to perforate the casing at all 
water-bearing horizons, so that the strata in which the water is under 
notable artesian pressure are not the only ones drawn upon. The 
pumping lift is small and is partly overcome by the artesian pressxire. 

Beyond the limits of the area of flowing wells a large acreage 
south and southwest of San Jacinto is supphed by the canal system 
of the Citizens Water Co. Late in the season a part of the water of 
this system is pumped, the company having four groups of wells in 
1915. A considerable acreage to the southeast, above the company's 
canal, is irrigated by individual plants. In the summer of 1915 a 
well was sunk a mile west of Florida, where the ground-water level 
is about 50 feet below the surface, a pumping plant was installed, and 
a large area was planted in orchards of deciduous trees. A mUe east of 
Florida, on the Copeland ranch, ground water is used to irrigate citrus 
trees. Here water was struck at a depth of 85 feet, the well (No. 134 
of PI. Ill, in pocket) being continued to 458 feet. The relative thick- 
ness of the water-bearing strata at this place is shown graphically by 
the log of weU 134 in figure 3 (p. 26). Ground water is also used for 
irrigation beyond the limits of the main valley lands, up the narrow 
valleys of the South Fork of San Jacinto River and of Bautista 
Creek. In 1915 a distillate plant near the channel of the South 



Mineral analyses and classification of waters in the San Jacinto area. 
[i'arlsper million except as otherwise dosignated. S. C. Dinsmore, analyst.) 





Location. 


• 

Date of 
coUpclion. 


Owner. 


Depth 
to water 
Nov., 1015 

(feftt). 


Use. 


Detcrnuned quantities. | Computed quantitics.s 


Classification.^ 


Map 
num- 
ber.o 


Siiics 
(SiO.)- 


Iron 
(Fe). 


Caicium 
(Ca). 


Magne- 
sium 

(Mb). 


Sodium 
and po- 
tassium 
(Na-I-K).« 


Carbon- 
ate 
radicle 
(CO.). 


Blcar- 
lionate 
radicle 
(HCOi). 


Sulphate 
radicle 
(SO.). 


Chloride 
radicle 
(CI). 


Nitrate 
radicle 
(NO,). 


Total 
solids at 
180* C. 


Total 
hard- 

CoCo,. 


Scale- 
forming 
ingre- 
dients. 


Foam- 
ing in- 
grcdi- 
ents. 


Alliall 
coeffi- 
cient 
(mches). 


Mineral 
content. 


Chemical 
character. 


Prob- 
ability 
of cor- 
rosion.<i 


(Juality 
for do- 
mestic 


Quality 
for 

boiler 


Quality 

forirrlga. 

tion 




Drilled well 4 miles northwest of San 

Jacinto. 
Drilled well 2\ miles northwest of San 

Jaciiilo. 
Drilled well 2 miles southeast of San 

Jacinto. 

Drilled well, 1 mile east of Florida 

Dug well, 3 miles east of Florida 

Kden Hot Springs (principal spring). . 

Relief not Springs (Black Sulphur 

Soboha Hot Springs (highest spring).. 


Oct., 1915 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

July, 1910 

...do 

...do 




Flows 

...do 

23 

SO 


Stock 


41 

2i 

24 

20 
T> 
37 

20 

r.7 


S. 5 

Tr. 

.55 

.25 
2.7 
Tr. 

Tr. 

Ti. 


4S 

4fi 

40 

33 
22 
5.0 

54 

fi.O 


8.1 

5.9 

6.1 

4.1 
5.0 
1.2 

14 

1.2 


19 

16 

17 

67 
6.4 

78 

193 
65 


0.0 

.0 

.0 

.0 
.0 

14 

.0 
55 


219 

192 

166 

148 
90 
56 

58 

17 


0.0 
.0 

9.1 

43 
2.8 
61 

233 

31 


10 

11 

11 

52 
9.0 
38 

229 

17 


Tr. 

Tr. 

2.0 

6.0 
.0 
.0 

.0 

Tr. 


258 
216 
200 

311 

124 
2S1 

K15 

203 


153 

153 

125 

99 
76 
17 

192 

20 


200 

170 

150 

120 
100 
50 

210 

90 


51 

43 

46 

ISO 
17 
210 

520 

180 


42 

53 

60 

21 
220 
17 

8.4 

14 


Moderate . 

...do 

...do 

...do 

Low 

Moderate.. 

High 

Moderate . 


Ca.CO,.... 

...do 

...do 

Na-CO,.... 
Ca-CO,..„ 
Na-SO,.... 

Na-CI 

Na-CO,.... 


N 
N 
N 
N 



N 


Dad 

Good 

...do 

...do 

Fair 

Good 

Fair 

Good 


Fair 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

Very bad.. 

Fair 


Goo<l. 
Do. 


91 




Domestic and irriga- 
. tion. 
do 

..,._.do 


134 


Merimaii Water Co.... 


Do. 








Bathing and drink- 




89 








123 


J. T. Richey 




do 


Do. 



a Map numbers correspond to numbers of locations on Pi. TIT, in pocket. 

Ii See standards for classification by R. B. Dole and Herman Stabler in "Ground water in San Joaquiu Valley, Cal.," by Mendenhall, Dole, and Stabler: V. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 3! 

c Calculated. 

tf C=corrosive; N=uoncorra'uve; (?)=corrosionuiifertain or doubtful. 

Laboratory assays and classification of ualcrfrom veils in the San Jacinto area. 

[Collected OctobiT, 1915; S. C. Dinsmore, analyst. Parts per million e.tcept as otherwise designated.] 





Location. 


Owner. 


Depthto water 

Nov., 1915 

(feet). 


Use. 


Determined quantities. 


Computed quantities.fi 


ClassmcatIon.f' 


Map 
num- 
ber." 


Iron 
(Fe). 


Carbonate 
radicle 
(CO,). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
radicle 
(HCO,). 


Sulphate 
radicle 
(SO,). 


Chloride 
radicle 
(CI). 


Total 
hardness 

Cacb.. 


Total 
solids. 


Scale. 

forming 

ingredf. 

ents. 


Foaming 
ingredi- 
ents. 


Alkali 
coefficient 
(inches). 


Mineral 
content. 


Chemical 
character. 


Proba- 
bility 
ofcor- 
rosiotLc 


QuaUty 

for 
domestic 


QuaUty 

for 
boiler 


Quality 

for 
irrlga. 
tion. 


SO 










0.5 
Tr. 
1.5 

Tr. 
Tr. 
Tr. 

Tr. 

Tr. 
Tr. 
Tr. 
.75 
Tr. 
4.5 
Tr. 
Tr. 













§ 





325 
173 
185 
160 
203 
181 
166 
151 
259 
217 
127 
151 
134 
215 
119 
190 


Tr. 
5 
5 
5 

Tr. 
5 

Tr. 

Tr. 
5 
10 

5 
6 

10 
5 

38 


11 
12 
11 
10 
13 
11 
10 
10 
12 
17 
9 
9 
7 
23 
11 
15 


110 
95 
101 
138 
135 
99 
115 
118 
123 
147 
81 
111 
72 
88 
80 
136 


330 
210 
210 
200 
230 
210 
190 
180 
280 
260 
160 
ISO 
160 
270 
160 
270 


140 
120 
130 
170 
100 
130 
140 
1.50 
l.iO 
ISO 
120 
140 
100 
120 
120 
170 


230 
90 

100 
20 
70 
90 
.50 
30 

1.50 
90 
.50 
40 
70 

m 

40 
110 


8.0 
23 
22 
190 
32 
22 
45 
97 
13 
28 
55 
65 
31 
12 
65 
35 


Moderate . 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 


Nn-CO,... 

Ca-COi... 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

Na-CO,... 

Ca-CC... 

...do 

...do 

...do 

Na-CO,.... 

Ca-CO,.. . . 
...do 


N 
N 
N 

^^ 
N 
N 
N 
N 
N 
N 
N 
N 
N 
N 
N 


Good 

...do 

—do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

Bad 

Good ... . 
...do 


Fair 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 


. i'air 














92 
94 


2>. mill's nor) h of San Jacinto 

2 miles norlhwo.'^t of San Judnto 




do 

do 


do 

do 


Do. 

. Do. 

Do. 






H.C. Warren 

Mr. Could 


do 

do 


do 

Domestic and irrigation 


. Do. 


99 




Do. 




do 


. Do. 


120 
122 
124 
127 

m 


i iiiilp stKil !i tit S:in Jauinlu 

!'■ nil hi' 1 1 iif San Jacinlo 

i. if .-■■m Jacinto 

1 ■ '. ■ ■■ nfSanJacinto 


Chinese gardeners 

Mr. Nikoshav 

City of San Jacinto 

C. E.Smith 


4 

Flows 

10 

%') 


do 

Domestic and stock 

Municipal supply 

Domestic and irrigation 


. Fair. 
. Good. 
. Do. 
. Do. 
. Do. 


IHII 




Soboba Indian Reservation . 
do 


23 


Domestic and irrigation 


. Fair. 


131 


(iO 




. Good. 


133 


Slmllessoutheast of San Jacinto 


Mr. Wilson 


50 


Domestic and irrigation 


. Do. 


. 











71005—19. (To face page 30.) 



a Map numbers correspond to numbers oflocations on PI. Ill, in pocket. 

6 See standards for classification by R. B. Dole and Herman Stabler in "Cronnd water in San Joaquin Valley, Cal.," by Mendenhall, Dole, and Stabler: U. S. Geol. Surrey Water-Supply Paper 393, pp. 50-Sl, 1916. 

« N=>noncorrosive; (?)=corrasionuncert!un or doubtful. 



U. S. GEOLOGICAL SUHVET 



■n-ATKR-SUPPLT PAPEH A2d PLATE VII 





SAN JACINTO VALLEY FROM PARK HILL. 



SAN JACINTO AREA. 31 

Fork lifted water from the gravel and boulders of the wash into a 
pipe hne that supplied a citrus grove thi-ee-quarters of a mile to the 
west. At two points farther upstream smaller plants supphed 5 or 
10 acres each of orchard and garden with water pumped from pits at 
the edge of the channel. At the upper end of the valley lands along 
Bautista Creek, in 1915, a gravity flow to irrigate an apple orchard 
was obtained by tunnehng into the creek gravels half a mile above. 

On the mountain slopes east of San Jacinto a tract of springs and 
moist ground, locally known by the Spanish term ''cienaga," yields 
water for the irrigation of adjacent orchards. This water issues from 
the deposits of clay and gravel on these lower slopes and is derived 
from the precipitation on the tributary slopes. The local opinion 
that the artesian water in the lowlands may be derived from these 
slopes does not take account of the small area of the cienaga and its 
inabihty to furnish the large amount of water obtained in the lower 
lands. The relation of the valley lands southeast of San Jacinto to 
the slopes of the cienaga region are shown in Plate VII. 

Several hot springs that issue along the slope above the vaUey 
have been sometimes cited as possibly related to the artesian flows 
obtained in the lowland. They have no connection with the artesian 
water, but are evidences of the structiural movements that formed 
the escarpment bordering the valley. 

QTTALITT OF WATEE. 

The table facing page 30 gives the results of analyses and laboratoi'y 
assays of water from 21 wells in the San Jacinto area that were 
collected and analyzed in order to show the general character of the 
ground water. Analyses of waters from three of the hot springs in 
the area are also included in the table. 

The chemical examination shows that the well waters are of mod- 
erate mineral content, only two (from weUs 86 and 134) containing 
more than 300 parts per miUion of solids in solution. Seventeen of 
the 21 well waters are of the calcium-carbonate type, the remaining 
4 being sodium-carbonate in character. AH but three are classed as 
good for domestic use. The comparatively large amoimts of calcium 
and carbonate present render them only fair for use in boilers, because 
of their tendency to form rather large amounts of scale. AH but 
three — from weUs 86, 120, and 130 — are good for irrigation. The 
comparatively large amounts of bicarbonates in the water from wells 
86, 120, and 130, which would probably yield some black alkah by 
evaporation, render them only fair for irrigation. 

ALKALI. 

In the upper end of San Jacinto Valley the ground water is too far 
beneath the surface to permit the deposition of alkali. North and 
northwest of San Jacinto, however, Avhere the water is less than 10 feet 



32 GROUND WATEK. IK SAN JACINTO AND TEMEOULA BASINS, CAL. 

beneath much of the lowland, alkaline salts have collected to some 
extent in a few places, and the tendency for the soil of the lower areas 
to become alkaline will increase with the increase of irrigation and 
consequent stiU further rise of the ground-water level. The good 
quahty of the deeper ground water throughout most of the area, how- 
ever, renders it available for partly remedying the trouble by careful 
irrigation combined with proper drainage and the application of 
gypsum (land plaster) to the worst spots. The lowland south and 
southeast of Casa Loma is naturally alkaline, owing to the long- 
continued evaporation of ground water from it and the consequent 
collection of the mineral salts at the surface. These lands have, 
therefore, been given over to pasturage, a.nd it seems doubtful whether 
they can be profitably brought under cultivation, though they might 
be made to produce sugar beets or other alkah-resisting forage crops. 

HEMET AREA. 
LOCATION AND CHAB.ACTER. 

The Hemet area embraces the large open valley that lies between 
Park HiU and the granitic slopes to the south and also lands that 
slope gently westward and southwestward to the bases of outlying 
hills near Lakeview Mountains. During floods the drainage passes 
westward through Winchester Valley, but the slope is so gentle and 
the valley fill is so porous that the normal run-off is sHght. South 
of Hemet the open, nearly level land extends to Diamond VaUey, 
which forms a reentrant in the hills that border the drainage basin. 
This open valley is in most places covered with alluvium washed down 
from the adjacent slopes, but in its southeastern end there are heavy 
bench deposits of older alluvium (see PI. Ill, in pocket), which are 
perhaps contemporaneous with some of the deposits along the upper 
borders of San Jacinto Valley. 

GROTIND-WATEK LEVEL. 

Beneath the higher lands east and southeast of Hemet the ground- 
water level is more than 60 feet below the surface, and in the two 
or three weUs that were examined in 1915 pumping lifts of fully 100 
feet were reported. The depth to water decreases westward, how- 
ever, and beneath the mesa lands water is found at depths of 20 to 40 
feet. In the lowland west of Egan and toward Wildomar, the water 
is within 10 feet of the surface. To the south, in Diamond Valley, 
water is found at depths of 30 to 60 feet, the depth rapidly increasing 
as the land slopes upward to the deposits of older alluvium at the 
southern end. 



U. 3. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPEK 429 PLATE VIH 



■ Soil and ssnd 
: Clay 

\ ^'^^ IS 

\ Grai/e/iivater 

dC/ay 



':<. Soil 3nd sand 



-Clay 
GrsyeO w 



Fi'ne sandifvater 

ffed d^y 

Fine sandiiVBter 



's'^t.elw. 
GrsniC9 



Ye/loY^ clay 
Send and S^-a\ 



Yelto^cl^y" (0 
Gravel j tvsler 



Sandy losm 
■y^imv clay 



■~^ Sandy loam 




Kfe 



Ssnefy loam 
Sandy clay 

Clay 



nno sondiwater 
Clay 



Saiidy clay 
YcHot^ sand 

Blue sane/ 

Blue clay 

Sandy clayj 
Blacl< ssnd 
Black cfay 
Com en ted sane/ 



*\Black^ 



f Craven 



-3r Sandy loam 

"ffi 



\ Blue clay 



LOGS OF WELI^ IN THE HEMET AREA. 



p 



HEMET AEEA. 



33 



The logs of several wells in the Hemet area (PL VIII) show that the 
water-bearing strata, as in the lower lands near San Jacinto, are by 
no means uniform in thickness or in position. 

In the extreme western part of Hemet Valley, as would be expected 
bedrock is encountered comparatively near the surface (in wells 7i 
and 79), but in the main part of the vaUey wells more than 500 feet 
deep do not reach the bedrock. The variation in the thickness of 
the water-bearing gravels is shown in the logs of wells 104, 105, 106, 
108, and 109, which are near the northern part of the mesa land. 
To the south, in the vicinity of Egan, the water-bearing strata 
appear to be more uniform. The following records have beers 
kept of the water level in three wells situated respectively one-half 
mile west of Egan, 1 mile west of Hemet, and 1 mile northeast of 
this town. 

Water levels in observation wells in the Hemet area. 
Well No. 73. one-half itule west of Egan.i 



1905. 


Apr. 


18 


May 


19 


June 


20 


July 


23 


Aug. 


19 


Sept. 


23 


Nov. 


10 


Dec. 


22 


1906. 


Jau. 


30 


Mar. 


16 


May 


12 


June 


28 


Aug. 


4 


Sept. 


27 


Dec. 


21 


1907. 


Feb. 


14 


Aug. 


30 


Dec. 


31 


1908. 


Apr. 


23 


June 


25 



[Owner, Mrs. Maud F. Walker.] 

DeDth 
to water 
(feet). 1909. 

10.5 Apr. 

10. 8 

10. 5 

10. 5 



10.6 
11.1 
10.9 
11.2 

10.7 
10.6 
10.3 
9.6 
10.3 
10.6 
10.6 

9.2 
9.7 
9.7 



9.3 
9.5 



1910. 
Feb. 3 . 
Aug. 10. 



1912. 
July 20. 

1913. 

Oct. 18 . 



1914 
Feb. 
Apr. 
June 
Aug. 
Nov. 



5. 
17, 
25. 
14. 
21. 



1915. 
Oct. 31 . 

1916. 
May 6. 
Aug. 1 , 
Nov. 16. 



Depth 

to water 
Cfeet). 

.. 9.6 



9.3 

10.2 

9.9 

12.9 

10.5 
10.2 
13.2 
12.7 
11.0 

11.4 

10.1 

12.7 
10.1 



1 This is record well 81 of Water-Supply Papers 213, 251, and 331. 
71065°— 19— wsp 429 ^3 



34 GROUND WATER IK" SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 



Well No. lit, 1 mile west of Hemet.' 
[Owner, J. E. Garrigan.] 



190 


I. 


Mar. 


14 


Dec. 


15 


1905 


. 


Jan. 


14 


Feb. 


23 


Mar. 


25 


Apr. 


18 


May 


18 


June 


20 


Julv 


23 


Aug. 


19 


Sept. 


23 


Nov. 


10 


1906. 


Jan. 


30 


Mar. 


17 


May 


12 


June 


29 


Aug. 


4 


Sept. 


27 


Dec. 


20 


190 


1. 


Feb. 


13 


May 


18 


Aug. 


31 


Dec. 


31 


1908. 


Apr. 


23 


June 


25 


Oct. 


15 


Dec. 


28 



Depth to 
water 
(feet). 

.. 33.0 

. . 33. 2 



1914. 



33.4 

33.2 

33.1 

33.1 

33.0 

33.2 

33.1 

34. 

33. 5 

33.0 

32.7 

32.4 

32.8 

32. 5 

^. 32.7 

32. 6 

32.5 

32.0 

32. 5 

32.5 

'..-.. 31.8 

31.9 

31.7 

31. 1 

31.7 

1 This is record well 82 of Water-Supply Papers 213, 2.51, and 331. 



1909. 
Apr. 2 . 
July 11. 
Oct. 14 . 

1910. 
Feb. 3 . 
Aug. 11. 

1911. 
Jan. 5 . 

1912. 
May 28 . 
July 30. 

1913. 
Oct. IS . 



Feb. 
Apr. 
June 
Aug. 
Nov. 



2. 
17. 
25. 
14. 
21. 



1915. 
May 21 . 
Oct. 31 , 

1916. 
May 6 . 
Aug. . 7 . 
Nov. 15. 



Depth to 
water 
(feet). 

.. 31.6 

. 31.5 

. 31.3 



31.2 
31.1 



30.8 



32.2 
30.5 



31.6 

30.6 
30.7 
30.8 
31.1 
30.9 



31.2 
31.0 



29.9 
30.3 
29.8 



HEMET AREA. 



35 



Well No. 118, 1 mile northeast of Hemet. 

[Owner, J. A. Barger (formerly o\'nied by W. D. Baisley).J 



1905. 


Nov. 


10 


1906. 


Jan. 


30 


Mar. 


17 


Sept. 


26 


Dec. 


20 


1907. 


May 


18 


Dec. 


31 


1908. 


Apr. 


22 


June 


24 


Oct. 


15 


Dec. 


29 


1909. 


Apr. 


3 


July 


11 


Oct. 


14 


191C 


►. 


Feb. 


3. 


Aug. 


11 



Depth to 
water 
(feet). 

. . 57. 3 



58.0 
56.9 
58.1 
57.9 

57.2 
57.2 

67. 2 
57.2 
57.4 
57.2 

57.1 
58.0 
57.0 



56. 
55. 



1911. 
Jan. 5 . 

1912. 
May 28 . 
July 29. 
Oct. 18 . 

1913. 
Oct. 18 . 



Depth to 

water 
(feet). 

. . 55. 8 



1914. 



Feb. 
Apr. 
June 

Aug. 
Nov. 



5. 
17. 
25. 
14. 
21. 



1915. 

May 23 . 
Oct. 31. 

1916. 
Aug. 1 . 
Nov. 15. 



56.9 
56.0 

54.7 

57.3 

55.5 
55.9 
56.5 
57.0 

5C.5 

55.6 

56.5 

56.4 
56.0 



The variation in the water level in these three wells is shown 
graphically in figure 5, and indicates that during the period of record 
there have been only minor fluctuations in the ground-water level in 
the vicinity of the wells measured. 





1904 


1906 


1906 


1907 


1908 


1909 


1910 


1911 


1912 


1913 


1914 


1915 


191S 


^15 














. 
















'•'' 










' 






. 


,. • 


• 


. 














/ell No. 


73 




































2 ., 




























& 35 


. 


,....-.,. 




. . . 


• • • 


• • • 


• 




• 


• 




c • 


























q 60 














































■ 




• 


• • 


• • 


.. .. 


• • • * 




•* 


• 


' ' •• " 


• 


• • 












Well No. 118 


1 









FiGTORE 5, — Diagram showing fluctuation of water level in record wells in the Hemet area. 

The depth to water tliroughout the Hemet area was determined 
in March, 1904, and again in November, 1915, by measuring many 
wells in the area. The depths at the respective periods are indi- 
cated in Plate III (in pocket) by lines that show depth to water in 
1904 and 1915. These lines indicate that in the mesa lands the 
water level has risen 5 to 10 feet. This rise may have been caused 
chiefly by the extensive irrigation in the region by surface water, but 



36 GEOUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAE,. 

as rainfall was deficient in 1904 and above the average in 1914 and 
1915, the rise may be due chiefly to increased rainfall in the later 
years. 

IRRIGATION. 

The extensive orchards south and east of Hemet (see PI. IX, B) 
are supplied almost entirely with water from Hemet reservoir. On 
two or thi'ee tracts that have no water right under the system, pump- 
ing plants have been installed, but the ground water here is. rather 
deep and the pumping Hft is correspondingly heavy. Within recent 
years fields of alfalfa and orchards of deciduous trees on a large 
area of the mesa lands lying beyond the limits of the canals of the 
San Jacinto and the Hemet companies have been brought under 
irrigation by means of individual pumping plants capable of deliver- 
ing 50 to 100 miner's inches of water, the pumping lift being between 
20 and 50 feet. The soil of these mesa lands is light and sandy, is 
easily tilled, and seems to have good underdrainage, for in 1915 no 
water-soaked or alkaline areas were seen. The cost of pumping 
also leads to more careful use of water on these lands than on lands 
suppHed with water by gravity, and hence they are not so likely to 
become water-logged. 

In the western extension of the mesa lands, near the base of Lake- 
view Mountains, a number of weUs sunk in 1915 in the east haK of 
sec. 11, T. 5 S., K. 2 W., obtained water at depths of 20 to 50 feet. 
These higher lands were to be planted to orchards of deciduous trees. 

North and south of Egan large areas were in 1912-1915 set out to 
alfalfa, which was irrigated with water lifted either by electric 
power or by distillate engines. The ground-water level is near the 
surface, and wells 200 feet or more in depth have obtained large 
supplies. As the casings are usually perforated at all water-bearing 
horizons, so as obtain the maximum yield from each weU, the wells 
tap not only the shallower waters, which in this locality are some- 
what alkaline, but the deeper waters which are of better quahty. 

Practically aU of Diamond Valley has been given over to the dry 
farming of grain. In 1915, however, a number of 12-inch wells 
were drilled at intervals across its upper end, and it was the inten- 
tion to subdivide the large holding that embraces most of the valley 
and set out the land to orchards. The drainage area tributary to the 
upper part of the valley includes about 30 square miles and the 
greater part of this area consists of steep slopes 2,000 to 3,500 feet 
in elevation. The run-off from these slopes to the valley lands is 
therefore presumably large, but the amount that is absorbed by the 
lowlands and is available for recovery by weUs had not, in 1915, 
been tested. Only two areas, each consisting of about 10 acres of 
alfalfa, were irrigated in 1915. Each was supphed with water from 
a dug well by a small pumping plant. 



Mineral analyses and classification of water from wells in the Hemet area. 
[Parts per miilion except as otherwise designated. S. C, Dinsmoro, analyst.] 



■ 


Location. 


Date of 
foJIpclion. 


Owner. 


Depth 

to water 

Nov., 1915 

(feet). 


Use. 


Determined quantities. 


Computed quantities.b 


Class ifieatiou.'- 


Map 

ber.o 


SiUca 
(SiOi)- 


Iron 
CFe). 


Calcium 
(Ca). 


Mague- 
siiiin 
(Mg). 


Sodium 
and ijo- 

tassium 
(Na+K).<; 


Carbon- 
ate 
radiiio 
(COi). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
radielo 
(HCO,). 


Sulphate 
radicle 
(SO,). 


Chloride 
nidiele 
(CI). 


Nitrate 
radida 
(NO,). 


Total 
solids at 
ISO" c. 


Total 
hard- 

CaCc 


Seale- 
formiiag 
Ingre- 
dients. 


Foam- 
ing in- 
gredi- 
ents. 


Alkali 
coem- 
cient 
(inelias). 


Mineral 
content. 


Chemieal 
character. 


Prob- 
ability 
otcor- 
rosion.d 


mostic 


Quality 

for 
boiler 
use. 


Quality 
for irriga- 
tion. 


69 

70 
75 

fH 


Drilled well, a miles southwest of 

Humot. 

Dug well. 5 miles south of Hemet 

Drilled well, 2J miles southwest of 

Hemet. 
Drilled well, 4 miles northwest of 

Hemet. 


Aug., 1916 

...do 

Nov.. 1915 

Oct., 1915 




40 

45 
7 

12 


Domestic and irriga- 
tion. 

Domestic 

Irrigation 


50 0. 20 


62 

57 

7a 

59 


17 76 


0.0 

.0 
.0 

.0 


224 

268 
136 

236 


83 

233 
11 


83 

56 
152 

26 


2.0 

7.0 
3.0 

.0 


■193 

403 
763 

295 


225 

167 
255 

ISS 


260 

220 
290 

210 


20O 

200 
300 

08 


23 

14 
12 

56 


Uoderate.. 

...do 

High 

Moderate.. 


Ka-COi. . . 

...do 

Na-SOi.... 

Ca-CO,.... 


(?) 

N 

m 

N 


Fair 

Good 

Fair 

Good 


Poor 

...do 

Bad 

Poor 


Good. 

Fair. 
Do. 

Good. 




44 
30 

2.3 


.21) 
.5(J 


6.0 
14 

9.8 


76 
146 

25 




Walberg-Doiier Laad 







a Map numbers correspond to numbers of locations on PI. HI, in pocket, 
b See standards for classilication by R. B. Dole and Herman Stabler in ' 
c Calculated. 
<* N=noncorrosive; C?)i=corrosion ujicertain or doubtful. 



nd water in San Joaquin Valley, Cal.," by Mendenhall, Dole, aod Stabler: U. S. Qeol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 398, pp. 50-81, 1916. 



Laboratory assays ajul classijication of water from wells and Hemet canal in the Hemet area. 
[Parts per million except as otherwise designated. S. C, Dinsmorc, analyst.) 





Location. 


Date of 
collec- 
tion. 


Owner. 


Depth 
to water, 
Nov., 
1915 
(icet). 


U.se. 


Determined quantities. 




Computed quantities.6 


Clas.siticatlon.fi 


Map 
her." 


Iron 
(Fe). 


Carbonate 
radicle 
(CO,). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
radicle 
(HCO,). 


Sulphate 
radicle 
(SO,). 


Chloride 

radicle 

(CI). 


Total 
hardness 

CaCO,. 


Total 
solids. 


Scale- 
forming 
ingred- 
ients. 


Foaming 
ingred- 
ients. 


.MkaU 
coefficient 
(inches). 


Mineral 
content. 


Chemical 
character. 


Proba- 
bility 
ofcor- 


(luality 

(or 
dolnostie 

use. 


Quality 

tor 
boiler 
use. 


tjuality 

(or 
irriga- 
tion. 






Nov. 1915 
...do .. 


I. M. Gibbel . 


21 

IS 

12 

12 

8 

6 

12 

13 

30 

Flows. 

33 

32 

36 

02 

100 

.'57 

40 

Stream. 




Tr. 

Tr. 
Tr. 
Tr. 
Tr. 
0. 30 
Tr. 
.05 
Tr. 
Tr. 
. Kt 
Tr. 
Tr. 
.75 
Tr. 
.85 
Tr. 
Tr. 






















205 
163 
1.W 
151 
1)3 
Ifil 
210 
290 
171 
229 
IU3 
114 
17s 
l^s 
222 
26S 
2(13 
127 


132 

5 

130 

104 

168 

2S7 

6 

10 

132 

10 

121 

104 

222 

95 

229 

33 

5 

5 


178 
46 
81 
55 
40 

197 
12 
61 
43 
17 
S4 
96 
66 

ei 

60 
16 
16 
12 


79 
85 
73 
96 
125 
168 
91 
232 
140 
178 
140 
140 
204 
172 
205 
60 
110 
88 


770 
250 
4S0 
400 
440 
910 
240 
390 
5-10 
270 
440 
550 

eoo 

430 
660 
340 
240 
170 


110 
120 
100 
130 
160 
200 
120 
2«0 
170 
210 
170 
170 
230 
200 
210 
90 
140 
120 


760 
160 
400 
300 
200 
730 
140 
140 
270 

00 
260 
380 
350 
230 
410 
300 
110 

50 


4.0 
15 

9.8 
14 
29 

8.0 
14 
25 
24 
55 
23 
17 
2-1 
27 
21 

7.3 
19 
51 


High 

Moderate.. 

...do 

...do 

...do 

High 

.Moderate.. 
...do 

High 

Moderate. 
...do 

.■^;g:::::: 

.Moderate. 

High 

Moderate.. 

...do 

...do 


Na-Cl 

No-CO,... 
Na-SO,.... 

...do 

...do 

...do 

Na-CO,... 
Ca-CO,.... 
Na-SO,.... 
Ca-CO,.... 
Na-CO,. . . 
Na-SO,.... 

...do 

...do 

...do 

Na-CO,... 

...do 

Ca-CO,.... 


N 

N 
N 

N 
(7) 
(71 

N 
N 

'i' 

%' 

N 
N 


FBh- 

Good 

...do 

...do 

...do 

Fair 

Good 

Fair 

...do 

...do 

...do 

I'oir 

...ilo 

Good 

Fair 

Good 

...do 

...do 


Very bad.. 

Fair 

Dad 

...do 

...do 

Very bad.. 

Fair 

Poor 

Bad 

Poor 

Dad 

...do 

...do 

Fair 

Very bad.. 

Bud 

Fair 

...do 


Poor. 
Fair. 

Do. 

Do. 

Good. 

Fair. 

Do. 


76 






do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 

do 






Oct. 1915 
...do. 




81 














85 




...do 




























Do. 
Do, 
Do 


111 




do 




sS 


ii:i 




. do 


Lingerlonger ranch 






1 mile west of Hornet 


...do 

do 


do 

Irrigation 




115 


L. E. Williams 




116 


14 miles south of Hemet 


...do 




Dome.'itic and irrigation - . . 


Do 


117 






lis 


1 mile northeast of Hemet 


...do 








111 




do 




132 


3 mile^ east of Hemet (Hemet Canal) 


...do 




Do 











71065°— I'J. (To face p 



a Map numbers correspond to numbers of location^ on PI. Ill, in pocket, 

b Seestandards for classilication by R. B. Dole and Herman Stabler in " Ground water ii 

c N=noncorrosive; (?)=corrosion uncertain or doubtful. 



San Joa{|uin Valley, Cal.," by Mendenhall, Dole, and Stabler: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 398, pp. 50-^1, 1916. 



U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



WATER-SUPPLY TAPER J29 PLATE IX 





,1. TERRIS AND ALESSANDRO VALLEYS, FROM PUlM AhUU I 2 MILKS NuHTil OF I-LHRIS. 




U. IIEMET IRRIGATED DISTRICT. FROM RESERVUIR BUTTE. 



WINCHESTEB AREA. 37 

During periods of excessive run-off the water escapes northward 
from Diamond Valley and thence westward, passing south of Egan 
and tlirough Winchester Valley. The run-off has, however, not 
been sufficient to form a well-defined channel through Diamond 
VaUey. 

The soil throughout this valley seems to consist chiefly of coarse, 
sandy alluvium derived from the adjacent granitic slopes. If water 
in ample quantity can be obtained for irrigation, these lands should 
prove well adapted to fruit growing. 

QTJALITY OF WATER. 

Analyses or laboratory assays were made of water from 21 wells 
in the Hemet area, and a sample of water from the Hemet canal 
was also tested for comparison with the ground-water supplies. The 
results of the chemical examinations are given in the table opposite 
page 36. 

The analysis of the water of Hemet canal shows it contains only 170 
parts per million of sohds in solution. The mineral content of all 
the well waters is considerably higher, the range of the 21 samples 
being from 240 to 910 parts per million and the average 471 parts 
per milhon. The waters range in quality from fair to good for 
domestic use and irrigation (except No. 71, which is poor for irriga- 
tion) but from fair to very bad for use in boilers, because they con- 
tain rather large proportions of the scale-forming carbonates and 
sulphates in solution. 

ALKA.LI. 

In the western part of the Hemet area the depth to water in the 
lowest lands, which lie along the base of Lakeview Mountains, is 
less than 10 feet. The lack of good drainage combined with the 
constant evaporation of water from these moist lowlands has pro- 
duced a somewhat alkahne soil, and in consequence the lands are 
used chiefly for pasture. The slope is so gentle that reclamation by 
artificial drainage might be difficult, but it is probable that in most 
places the alkali is not so abundant as to preclude reclamation by a 
carefully planned system of irrigation and drainage combined with 
treatment with land plaster to neutrahze the harmful salts. 

WINCHESTER AREA. 
LOCATIOK AND CHARACTER. 

The Winchester area occupies a southern part of the San Jacinto 
basin. The main valley forms an extension, about 1^ miles wide, 
of the valley lands west of Hemet, but outliers from Lakeview 
Mountains to the north constrict the valley lands east of Winchester 
to a width of a mile. On the northwest Winchester Valley is sepa- 
rated from Perris Valley by an almost imperceptible divide west of 
Double Butte (see PI. X, J.),and its drainage passes southwestward 



88 GEOrXD WATEE IN" SAIC JACISTTO AXD TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

and westward through Menifee Valley to Eailroad Canyon. On the 
south a range of hills separates Winchester Valley from Domenigoni 
VaUey, but a pass only about 25 feet high connects the two valleys. 
A similar low dinde on the east connects Domenigoni VaUey with 
Diamond Valley, and on the south its border is 
p ^ formed by a wide break in the liiUs that separate 

5 ^~ the San Jacinto and Temecida basins, Domeni- 

I I I" goni Valley also di-ains westward to Menifee Val- 

ley, but the tributary area is so small and the 
valley is so flat that a well-defined drainage 
channel has not been formed. Granitic masses 
that rise at two places in Domenigoni VaUey 
indicate that the bedrock is not far beneath the 
surface. The valley appears, however, to occupy 
a small depression or shallow basin in the bed- 
rock, the lowest point of whose rim is on the west. 
In the Lakeview Mountains north of Winches- 
ter there is very httle cultivable land, for the 
I granitic bedrock is exposed in bouldery masses 
C over most of the surface. Juniper Flat (PI. X, 
I B) contains smaU tracts of agricultural land 
I but this region is devoted chiefly to grazing and 
^ bee keeping. The southward drainage from 
3 Juniper Fiat enters an extension of Winchester 
d Valley, in which the soil is composed of the 
I granitic wash from the adjacent slopes and is 
B well drained. 

GROTJITD-WATEB. LEVEL. 



iWm 


iliill 














ct 


; ^ 




c: 


■ ? 










.0 


t 




V 

>• 




: -^ 


;„ 




o \ 


.m:EM 


^<o 




t s 


"~ t 


s 






^ 




h! 


4 












'<; 




J^^ 


1» 


1^ 


Ol 


'0 


'O 


'.'' ^_-\\\: '-'J'-- ' 


^■D 




-. 








\ 


i 


1 


f-i 


'^ 


' 


SI 


i 


1 


,0' 


^" 




-.''il 


s ■ 


.^ 


<J\ 


a .' 


u 


;|!:™iii!lii'i!ii;| 



A 



1.1 O !o o OO 



In nearly aU parts of Winchester and Domeni- 

.„.,,^. ,, goni valleys water is found within 20 feet of the 

S |i ; i!iii!|il!i : i!i| iM surface and in the lowest lands within 10 feet. 

■^ J. ■ The general character and varying tliickness of 

I the layers of water-bearing sand and gravel, as 

■ ~ I V; weU as the sught depth to these layers, are 

^1f 1^1 shown in the logs of wells at three localities in 

S %■: ' ^^''" ''iii!!l *^® basin reproduced gi-aphicaUy in figure 6. 

I "S R Through the central, lower part of the vaUey 

the water-bearing strata are composed of fairly 

coarse gravel, but in some places near its borders they consist of fine 

sand from which it is difficult to obtain sufficient water to supply 

pumping plants. 

The record of depth to water in three wells in the valley has been 
kept for several years and is given in the following table: 



U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



WATEE-SUPPLY PAPER 429 PLATE X 




'■tif^S^SMa^ 





A. WESTERN PART OF DOUBLE BUTTE, WINCHESTER AREA, LOOKING TOWARD 

PERRIS. 




B. JUNIPER FLAT, LAKEVIEW MOUNTAINS. 



WINCHESTER ABEA. 



39 



1906. 



Jan. 


29 


Mar. 


16 


May 


12 


June 


28 


Aug. 


4 


Sept. 


27 


Dec. 


21 


1907. 


Feb. 


14 


May 


18 


Aug. 


31 


Dec. 


31 


1908. 


Apr. 


23 


June 


25 



190-: 


>. 


Nov. 


10 


Dec. 


22 


1906 


'. 


Jan. 


29 


Mar. 


16 


May 


12 


June 


28 


Aug. 


4 


Sept. 


27 


Dec. 


21 


190" 


7 


Feb. 


14 


May 


18 


Aug. 


30 


Dec. 


31 


1908. 


Apr. 


23 


June 


25 


Oct. 


15 


Dec. 


28 


1909. 


Apr. 


2 


July 


11 



Water levels in observation wells in the Winchester area. 

Well No. 55, 3i miles west of Winchester. 

[Ow-ner, F. H. Martin.] 



Depth 

of 
water 
190o. (feet). 

Nov. 10 18.2 

Dec. 22 18.6 



17.2 
16.2 
16.8 
16.7 
17.0 
17.4 
17.9 



15.9 
14.7 
15.9 
16.7 



15.7 
16.2 



1908. 
Oct. 15 . 
Dec. 28. 

1909. 
Apr. 2 . 
July 11. 
Oct. 14 . 

1910. 
Feb. 3 . 
Aug. 10. 

1911. 
Jan. 5 . 

1915. 
Nov. 8 . 

1916. 
July 30. 



Well No. 63, at Winchester. 



[Owner, W. 



20.0 

20.4 



20.2 
19.5 
18.7 
20.4 
19.6 
19.5 
19.3 

13.4 
18.7 
18.0 
18.3 

18.0 
18.5 
19.4 
19.3 

18.5 
19.2 



1914. 



Feb. 
Apr. 
June 

Aug. 
Nov. 



0. 

17. 
25. 
14. 
21. 



1915. 
Oct. 31 . 

1916. 
May 6 . 
Aug. 1 . 
Nov. 15. 



Depth 
of 

water 
(feet). 

16.5 

17.3 



16.0 
16.7 
17.6 

17.0 
17.0 

18.2 

20.2 

17.7 



20.1 



19.0 



S. Haslam.l 

1909. 
Oct. 14 

1910. 
Feb. 3 

1912. 

May 18 20.2 

July 30 20.7 

Oct. 18 24.5 

1913. 
Oct. 18 23.7 



23.3 
24.7 
21.1 
21.3 

22.4 



21.0 



16.5 

17.4 
17.9 



40 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 



1904. 
Mar. 14 . 
Oct. 18 . 
Nov. 18. 
Dec. . . 



1905 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Apr. 
May- 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Nov. 
Dec. 



1906. 
Jan. 29 
May 
Aug. 
Sept 
Dec. 



1907. 
Feb. 14. 



Well No. 64, one-half mSe northeast of Winchester.! 

[Owner, Miss T. Tatterson.] 



Depth of 
■water 
(£eet). 

.. 22.0 

. . 24. 2 

. . 23. 4 

.. 22.5 



22.2 
21.4 
20.2 
20.2 
19.6 
19.7 
19.8 
20.1 
20.3 



19.2 
20.0 
19.9 
20.1 
20.2 



19.7 



May 18 18. 

Aug. 31 

Dec. 31 



18.8 
19.2 



1913. 
Oct. 18. 



1914. 

Feb. 5 

Apr. 17 

Nov. _ 21 (no longer accessible). 



Depth of 

water 

(feet). 

.. 18.7 

.. 19.2 

.. 19.6 

.. 19.6 



1908. 

Apr. 23 

June 25 

■Oct. 15 

Dec. 28 

1909. 

Apr. 2 

Oct. 14... 

1910. 

Feb. 3 

Aug. 10 

1911. 
Jan. 5 

1912. 

May 29 20. 7 

July 30 21. 3 

Oct. 18 21.7 



19.7 
19.8 

19.5 
19.8 

19.7 



22.2 



20.3 
21.7 



These raeasureraeiits, which are represented graphically in figure 7, 
indicate that the water level has fluctuated somewhat in response 
to the varying annual precipitation but has not notably changed 
during the period 1904 to 1916. 































,, 


• * •• • , 


• * 


■ - .. 


• • . 


• • 












• 












V 


/ell No. 


55 






























































, 


... 


• o 


^ 




















• 












" • 


, 


^ ' • 


• 














Well No. 


63 










































^ 


. 


















" 
















" * 


• 


















Well No. 


64 








' 





FiGUEE 7. — Diagram showing fluctuation of water level in record wells near Winchester. 

The introduction of extensive irrigation by pumping may lower 
the ground-water level appreciably, but such a lowering would be 
beneficial to the lower lands, where at present the shallow depth to 
water favors the formation of alkali. 



1 This is record well 80 of Water-Supply Papers 213, 251, and 331. 



Mineral anahjscs and classification of water froin drilled wells in the Winchester, Lal-cvicv, and Moreno ureas. 
[Parts per million except as otherwise d^ignated, B. C. Dinsmoro. anal>-si.J 



3i miles west ol Winchosltr 

2i miles south of Winchester 

IJ miles east or Winchester 

2 miles soutlieast of Winchester. . 

Lakeview area: 

5 miles north of Lakoviow 

4 miles northeast of Lakeview 

2 miles west of J-akeview 

2* miles northeast of Lakeview. . . 



Aug., 
Nov., 
...do.. 



F.H.Martin.... 

A. Domonigoni-. 

TiorVa'Vlel'L 
rancho. 

Carey Ranch 



Midland scho.il . 



Domestic and irriga- 
tion. 
Domestic and stock. . . 



Domestic and stock . . . 
Domestic 

Domestic and batluiig. 
Domestic and irriga- 



Domostic. 



Determined quantities. 



Sodiiun 
and po- 
tassium 

(Na+K:)c 



Bicar- 
bonate 
radicle 
(HCOs). 



Chloride Nitrate 
radicle rnditie 
(CI). (NO)). 



Total 
solids at 
ISO' C. 



rompatod quanlitlcs 



Scale- I Foam- Alkali 
fornihig' ing in- cocdi- 
JnRrerl-l gredi- otcnl 

icnts. ! ful;.. I (inches). 



...do 



...do 

Moderate. 
High 



ClflSslflcatloxuA 



Nft-Cl.,. 

...do 

Ca-SO,.. 



Na-Cl.... 
Ca-COi... 

Ca-ri 

Na-SO... 



Very had.. 

Poor 

..do 

Very bad.. 



Quality 

for irrljM- 

tlon. 



'I Map numbers correspond to nmnbers of locations on I'l. HL in pocke 
ii SoestandardsforclassitlcationlJV R. B. Dole and Herman Stabler in 
c Calculated. 
d C=corrosive; N=noncorrosive; (?)=corrosion unfcrtain or doubtful. 



' Ground water ij 



a Joaquin Vallej-, Cal.," by Mendenhall, Dole, and Stabler: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Taper Sl'-S. pp. 50-Sl, 1916. 



Laboratori/ iisso'fs and classification of water from tccUs ifi the Winchester, Lai-evicir, and Moreno areas. 
ITiirts per million except as otherwise designated. S. C, Dinsmore. analyst.] 





I>OC'ation. 


Date of 
collec- 
tion. 


Owner. 


Depth 

to water, 
Nov.. 1315 

(feet). 


Use. 


Determined quantities. Computed (nianlitie:!.'' 


Ola^sin.'fttlon.l' 


Map 
nura- 


Iron 

(Fe). 


Carbonate 
radicle 
(COa). 


Biear- 
Ijonato 

radicle 
(HCO,). 


Sulphate 

radicle 
(SO,). 


Chloride 
radicle 

(CI). 


Total 
hardness 

as 
CaCOj. 


Total 
solids. 


Scale- 
(ormiiiE 
ingredi- 
ent-*. 


Foaming 
ingredi- 
ents. 


Alkali 
eoeJlloient 
(inehes). 


Mineral 
content. 


Choitilcal 
phuractor. 


Proba- 
bility 
oteor- 
roslou.c 


Qiialltv 

tor 
donio-itio 


Quality 
bo'lor 


Quality 

(or 
irrlKft- 

tlon. 


.59 


Winchester area: 


Nov.,l!)15 




10 
17 

3C 

Flows. 
Flows. 

125 

HM) 




Tr. 
Tr. 

Tr. 

Tr. 
1.5 

3.5 

Tr. 
Tr. 





(1 







319 

216 
224 

151 
322 
237 

93 

2W 


100 
20H 
37 

1 

10 
5 


172 
262 
91 

91 

10 
10 

50 

'" 


75 
98 
139 

lU 

122 
136 

79 

95 


7U0 
970 
420 

370 
330 
260 

210 


100 
130 
170 

110 

l.iO 
170 

no 

120 


760 
9-10 
300 

2.W 

220 
PHI 

110 

320 


3.6 
3.8 
10 

15 
S,S 

21) 

31 
7.0 


Modoroto.. 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 

...do 


Nu-CO). .. 

Na-n 

Na-rOi. .. 

...do 

...do 

Co-CO,.... 

Na-CO,... 
...do 


N 
N 
N 

N 
N 
N 


Fair 

...do 

Oood 

...do 

...do 

Dad 

Qood 

...do 


Very bad.. 

...do. 

Bad 

Fair 

...do 

...do 

...do 

Dad 


I'oor 


















do 

do 

Domestic and irrigation . . . 






Lakeview area: 






Do. 

Do. 

Good. 


22 

2;i 


3 miles nortlieast of Lake\'iew 

6i miles east of Lakeview 

Moreno area: 

4 miles northeast of .Vlessandro 


'6ct.",'iiii^ 

Nov., 1915 


i^akeview A\'ater Co 

Simnymead Orchard Co... 


1 


Domestic and irrigation . . . 


Do. 
I'alr. 















a Map numbers correspond to niunbcrs of locations on PI. Ill, in pocket. 

& See standards for classification by R. B. Dote and Herman Stabler in "Ground water ii 

c N=noncorrosive; (?)=oorrosion uncertain or doubtful. 



■1 Joaquin Valley, Cal.," by Mendenhali, Dole, and Stabler; U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 39fi, pp. 50-Sl, 1916. 



71005"— lu. (To face F 



WINCHESTER AREA. 41 

IRRIGATION'. 

In 1890-91 a canal was constructed along each side of Winchester 
Valley by the San Jacinto Valley Water Co., and during the early 
nineties these canals supplied water to a number of orchards in the 
region. With a head of 250 miner's inches of water at San Jacinto 
it was, however, possible to deliver only 50 inches to the lands near 
Winchester, because of excessive losses from the earthen canals, and 
during the series of dry years beginning in 1893-94 they were aban- 
doned. After this project was given up some efforts were made to 
obtain water for irrigation by means of wells and steam pumping 
plants, but the expense proved to be prohibitive, and Winchester 
Valley largely reverted to dry farming. Within recent years dis- 
tillate engines and electric power have been utilized and a considerable 
acreage has been planted to alfalfa. Several hundred acres of decidu- 
ous trees — chiefly apricots and apples — have also been set out on the 
slightly higher lands on the valley border southeast and northeast 
of Winchester. 

Three or four weUs drilled several years ago on the Domenigoni 
ranch, near the center of Domenigoni VaUey, obtained water at a 
depth of 8 feet and encountered bedrock at 80 feet. They yielded 
fairly large supplies of water but the plans for their utilization and 
for the irrigation of alfalfa had not been carried out in 1915. 

QXTALITY OF WATER. 

Analyses and laboratory assays of seven well waters in the Win- 
chester area were made to ascertain the general character of the 
ground water in this region and the results are reported in the 
table opposite page 40. 

The analytical results show that the waters are rather highly min- 
eralized. The water of lowest mineral content (No. 62) from the 
county roadside watering well at Winchester, contains 420 parts per 
million of solids in solution, and although good for domestic use is 
bad for use in boilers and only fair for irrigation, because it contains 
rather large amounts of bicarbonate and chloride. The water from 
well No. 55, containing 3,110 parts per million of solids, is distinctly 
salty and has been used with little success in irrigating alfalfa. 

ALKALI. 

Though water is found near the surface in the Winchester area 
and conditions thus favor pumping, the advantage is largely offset 
by the fact that both the water and the land in the lower tracts are 
somewhat alkaline. Large acreages of the lower lands are unsuited 
to grain raising because of the alkali and have been given over to 
the pasturage of cattle and hogs. Alkali has accumulated chiefly 
in the lowland southeast of Winchester and in the southwestern part 
of Domenigoni Valley. The construction of drainage ditches might 
benefit these lands somewhat, but the natural slope is so slight that 
the possibility of overcoming the alkali by drainage alone seems 
doubtful. 



42 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

LAKE VIEW AREA. 
LOCATION AND CHARACTER. 

The Lakeview area includes the valley lands north and northwest 
of Lakeview Mountains. In most places the bordering hills and 
mountains rise abruptly from the flat valley land, but to the north- 
west, along the border of the Badlands, the surface rises gradually 
to a low divide near Moreno, beyond which flood water flows west- 
ward and southward to Perris Valley. South and east of Lakeview, 
also, wide alluvial slopes intervene between the flat valley land and 
the steep, rocky slopes of Lakeview Mountains. 

San Jacinto River, continuing northwestward from San Jacinto, 
normally traversed the lowlands in a shallow, meandering channel 
to the northern and lowest part, known as Brownlands, and there 
spread out in a shallow lake from which the water flowed south- 
westward past Lakeview and across Perris Valley. Within recent 
years the channel has been straightened and leveed through a part 
of the lowland, however, and in 1915 a drainage district was formed 
for its further improvement. During the heavier storms of winter 
and until well into the summer the channel carries some water, but 
in the fall the flow usually ceases and the river is reduced to a series 
of long, shaUow stagnant pools. 

Nearly aU the land in the lower area, near the course of the river, 
consists of dark, rather heavy soil, evidently an aUuvium deposited 
over the flat lands by the flood waters. In the northern part of the 
lowlands the clays and sands of the adjacent Badlands have contrib- 
uted to the soils of the neighboring valley lands. On the slopes 
that border the lowliands on the west and south the soil is coarser 
and consists of the granitic M^ash from the adjacent slopes. 

ARTESIAN AREAS. 

Untn recent years it was thought that flowing artesian weUs were 
not obtainable in the San Jacinto area northwest of Casa Loma. 
About 1911, however, weUs that were put down several miles farther 
north obtained artesian flows, and the wells smik prior to November, 
1915, indicate that the limits of the flowing-well area are approxi- 
mately as shown in Plate III (in pocket) . In this area the formations 
yielding flowing water are as a rule finer grained than they are farther 
upstream, near San Jacinto, but two or three wells near Brownlands 
have passed through thin beds of gravel containing pebbles the largest 
of which were half an inch in diameter. The artesian pressure in 
these wells, as in those near San Jacinto, is doubtless due to the 
manner in which layers of sand and gravel are confined between 
layers of more impervious, finer sand and clay. (See fig. 2.) 

The logs of two flowing weUs put down in the lowland near Casa 
Loma about 1900 (fig. 8) show the approximate thicknesses of the 
water-bearing strata penetrated near that place. 



LAKEVIEW AREA. 



43 



23 



feetEo= 



Cl3/ 



Clay 

Sand J dry 
Clay 

Sand J dry 
Clay 

Sand; a /ittts iV3t^r^ 
1^ Clay 



In the vicinity of Brownlands the average depth to flowing artesian 
water is about 225 feet. A test well put down to a depth of 1,500 

feet found no good water- 
bearing beds below 250 
feet, the material pene- 
trated for practically the 
entire depth below the 
lowest water sand being 
a clay gumbo. Consider- 
able gas, probably marsh 
gas, is associated with the 
water. From weUs in the 
northern part of the low- 
land several families were 
supplied with gas for cook- 
ing and heating during one 
winter. A well that was 
being drilled near the low- 
est part of the valley en- 
tered a 2^ocket of gas, 
which threw out the cas- 
ing and nearly wrecked 
the drilling machine. The 
pressure was soon relieved, 
however, and in the fall 
of 1915 there was no evi- 
dence of gas at the place. 
Along the river chaiuiel 
miles west of 
warm springs, 



360 
362 
366 






Coarse sand; 
smalt artesian flow 



Blue clay 



Sand; water 



Blue clay- 

Sand J water 
Sandy clay 

Cemented san'cf 

Fine sandfW^ter 

Clay 

Sand; i/vster 

Clay 

Sand, ivater 

Blue clay 

Cemented sane/ 

Clay 
Sand 



Sand; water t 
?^ C/ay 

Sand/ water ^ 



Clay 

Sandj W3ter. 



330 
588 
336 



^rClay 

■'■ Coarse sandjwatec ■ 

C/oy 

Sandf dry 

Clay 

Sand; water 
-Clay 
^Sand, a little water ' 

Cementjed sand 

Sand, dry 
Cemented sancf 



Flowed most strongly at 3 
depth of leo-m^- reeti 
most of the water 
Furnished by sands 
between 3IOanc/ 368 feet. ' 



Clay 



Sand; water ^ 



Clay 



Sand; much water 



=== '^'^y 



Sand, water 

Clay 

Sand; water 

Fine sand ^ -- 
and shiny mud; > 
two small pieces ; 
oF wooci 



hard clay 



about 2 
Lakeview 

early known as the Hot 
Springs of the Pilar es, issue 
in a tule area several acres 
in extent. The water was 
at one time piped to a bath 
house on the higher land 
and the property was con- 
ducted as a bathing resort. 
Withia recent years two 
wells drilled on the ad- 
jacent slopes a few feet 
above the springs have 
obtained artesian flows of 
warm water, presumably from the same source as that which feeds 
the original springs. In 1915 a large cemented bathing pool was 
supplied by one of these wells, which yielded a flow of 15 or 20 



TlGURE 8. — Logs ol flomng artesian wells near Casa Loma. 



44 GROUND WATEB IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 



gallons a minute at a temperature of about 80° F. Analysis of water 
from this well (No. 17; see table facing p. 40) shows that it is a moder- 
ately mineralized calcium-cliloride water, chloride forming nearly 
one-third of its total mineral content of 338 parts per million. 

GROTJND-WATEB, LEVEL. 

Throughout the lower parts of the Lakeview area ground water is 
witliin 10 feet of the surface. In the northern part of the valley, 
toward Moreno, the depth appears, from the few available records of 
wells, to increase approximately with the rise of the land, indicating 
that the water table is nearly horizontal. On the slopes near Lake- 
view the depth to water increases at a rate notably less. than that at 
which the surface slopes upward toward the mountains. Records of 
the depth to water in three wells near Lakeview from 1904 to 1916 
are given in the following tables : 

Water levels in observation wells in the Lakeview area, Cal. 

Weil No. 18, at Lakeview.i 



Mar. 


12 


Nov. 


19 


Dec. 


16 


1905. 


Feb. 


22 


Mar. 


26 


Apr. 


19 


May- 


19 


June 


21 


July 


22 


Aug. 


18 


Sept. 


22 


Nov. 


9 


Dee. 


23 


1906. 


Jan. 


30 


May 


11 


June 


29 


Aug. 


3 


Sept. 


26 


Dec. 


20 


1907. 


Feb. 


13 


May 


17 


Aug. 


30 


Dec. 


31 


1905 


!. 


Apr. 


22 


June 


24 


Oct. 


16 


Dec. 


29 



[Owner, Albert McDonald (formerly owned by K. D. Harger).] 



Depth to 
water 
(feet). 

. 29.0 

. 30.1 

. 29.8 

. 29.4 

. 29.2 

. 29.0 

. 28.9 

. 28.8 

. 28.9 

. 29.1 

. 29.2 

. 29.4 

. 29.6 

. 29.5 

. 29.2 

. 29.2 

. 29.2 

. 29.4 

. 29.7 

. 29.3 

. 28.7 

. 29. 1 

. 29.3 

. 28.8 

. 28.8 

. 29.1 

. 29.0 



1909. 
Apr. 3 . 
July 12. 
Oct. 15 . 

1910. 
Feb. 3. 
Aug. 11 . 

1911. 
Jan. . 6 . 

1912. 
May 28 . 
July 27. 
Oct. 18. 

1913. 
Oct. 18 . 



Depth to 
water 
(feet). 

,. 28.7 

. 28.7 

. 28.8 



28.6 
28.6 



28. 7 j 

28.6 
29.0 
29.3 

30.0 



1914 
Feb. 
Apr. 
June 

Aug. 
Sept. 
Nov. 



5 29.9 

17 29.7 

25 29.9 

13 30. q 

16 30.4 

20 30. 



1915. 
May 23 . 
Oct. 30 . 

1916. 

May 5 . 
July 30 . 
Nov. 16. 



29.6 

28.7 



30.6 
30. 
30. 9B 



.7 



1 This is record well 85 of Water-Supply Papers 213, 251, and 331. 



LAKEVIEW AREA. 



45 



1905. 


Nov. 


9 


Dec. 


23 


1906. 


Jan. 


30 


Mar. 


16 


May 


11 


June 


29 


Aug. 


3 


Sept. 


26 


Dec. 


20 



1907. 
Feb. 3. 
May 17. 
Aug. 30. 
Dec. 31. 

1908. 
Apr. 22. 



Oct. 
Dec. 



16. 

29. 



1909. 
Apr. 3 . 
July 12. 
Oct. 15 . 



1905. 
Nov. 9 . 
Dec. 23. 

1906. 
Jan. 30 . 

Mar. 16. 



Aug. 



1907. 
Aug. 30. 
Dec. 31. 

1908. 
Apr. 22 . 



Oct. 
Dec. 



16. 
29. 



Well No. 19, at Lakeview. 

[Owner, Riverside County.] 



Depth of 
■water 
(feet). 

.. 34.8 

. . 34. 9 



34. 9 

34.5 

34. 6 

34. 5 

34. 

34. 9 

34. 9 

34. 6 

34. 2 

34.7 

34.3 

34. 

June 24 34.2 



34.3 
34.2 

33.9 
33.8 
34.0 



1910. 
Feb. 4. 
Aug. 11. 

1911. 
Jan. 6 . 



1914. 
Feb. 5 
Apr. 
June 

Aug. 
Sept. 
Nov. 



1915. 
May 23 . 
Oct. 31 . 

1916. 
May 5. 
July 30. 
Nov. 16. 



Well No. 20, 3 miles east of Lakeview. 

[Owner, Lakeview Water Co.] 



19. 2 

19.3 

19.4 

18.5 

June 29 19. 2 



19.2 



Sept. 26 19.2 



19.1 

19.1 

19.0 

June 24 19.0 



19.4 
19.1 



1909. 
Apr. 3 . 
July 12. 
Oct. 15 . 

1910. 
Feb. 4. 
Aug. 11 . 

1911. 
Jan. 6 . 

1915. 
Nov. 3 . 

1916. 
July 30. 



Depth of 

water 
(feet). 

.. 33.7 

.. 33.8 



33.8 



1912. 

May 28 33.4 

Oct. 18 34. 2 

1913. 
Oct. 18 34. 7 



34.7 
34.4 
34.8 
35.2 
35.2 
35.1 

34.3 
35.7 



35.0 
35.7 
35.7 



18.8 
18.8 
18.9 



18.8 
18.7 

18.8 

19.0 

19.0 



46 GEOUXD WATER lis' SAK JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

These records, wliicli are sliown grapliically in figure 9, indicate 
that there has been httle fluctuation in the ground-water level in the 
lowland area near Lakeview during the years of observation. A com- 





1!>14 


1905 


liOf, 


1907 190S 


1-J09 1910 


101 i 


KV2 


1913 


1914 19 


1-5 I9iH 












''so 
2 




^ __ 





J .. _ . 


. . . i. 






T.. 1 . 


• 1 1 








1 ' 1 

' well No. 


18 




1 1 1 






< 

S 33 

P 


1 


; 


1 : : 1 






. . L . . ; .. .J . •.^- . ■ 




!. • I 


j I 




1 




Well No.'IS 


1 ! 1 " '1 










X 15 










.. 


• • •• • 


. J .. .. 


. . . i. ■ L 


i J . 






i ! ! vye'i No. 23 ! 1 ! 1 i 1 



Figure 9. — Diagi'am sliowing fluetnation of water level in record wells near Lakeview. 

parison of the measurements of depth to water hi a number of wells 
near Lakeview m March, 1904, and in November, 1915, shows, how- 
ever, a general rise of about 10 feet in the water level on the slopes 
ba<?k of Lakeview. This rise is indicated in Plate HI (m pocket) by 
the relative positions of the lines showing depths t-o water of 40 and 
60 feet in 1904 and in 1915. The rise probably was not progressive 
throughout the period but was due to the fairly wet winters of 1913-14 
and 1914-15. 

IKRIGATION. 

About 1900 an attempt was made to supply water to irrigate 
lands m the Lakeview area by means of flowiug weUs sunk near 
Casa Loma. A canal was constructed along the southern side of 
the valley, and for two or three seasons water from the weUs was 
distributed to a number of tracts of orchard. The flowuig wells 
failed to yield sufficient water, however, and as pumping by steam 
plants proved too expensive the project was abandoned. In more 
recent years, siace the flowuig wells were obtained ia the lands farther 
'north, near Brownlands, a number of 4-mch and 6-uich wells were 
put down, a power plant and air hfts were installed to augment the 
natural flow, the lower lands were diked to prevent their being 
overflowed by San Jacinto Kiver, and an attempt was made to colo- 
nize the lands. The project was not successfully carried through, 
and a break in the dike early in 1915 allowed a considerable part 
of the lands to be flooded. In the fall of 1915 water in apparently 
ample quantity was being obtahied by several private pumpuig 
plants on the slopes near Lakeview and hi the lower lands to the 
northeast, and small fields of alfalfa and other crops were bemg 
watered. Most of the cultivated land in the northern part of the 
region was devoted to grain raising, and b}^ far the most of the low- 
land was given over to the grazhig of sheep and cattle. 

The greatest development of ii-rigation has been southwest of 
Lakeview, on the Nuevo ranch. In the fall of 1915 tliree large, 
electrically operated pumpuig plants here supphed water for the 



MOKEITO ABEA. - 47 

irrigation of about 400 acres of deciduous fruit trees, and pipe lines 
were being laid to additional lands that were being set out to orchards. 
Water was found at depths of 40 to 60 feet in sand and gravel along 
the southern border of the lowlands adjacent to San Jacinto River. 

QTTAT.TTV OF WATER. 

In connection with the study of ground water in the Lakeview 
area, samples of water from seven wells were collected for chemical 
examination. The results of the chemical examination of these 
waters are tabulated opposite page 40. 

The flowing water from well 23 contams only 260 parts per million 
of solids. The maximum solids found in the waters sampled was 715 
parts per million in water from well 6, at the Garey ranch, in the 
northwestern part of the area. The flowing water at Brownlands 
(well 15) is calcium-carbonate in character, and is sufficiently high 
in iron to be bad for domestic use and sufficiently high in bicarbonates 
to be classed as only fair for use in irrigation. Well 21, south of the 
river channel, yields sodium-sulphate water of fair quality for domestic 
use and for irrigation, but because of its excessive amount of foaming 
constituents is classed as very bad for use in boilers. The waters 
from weUs 19 and 22 are good for domestic use and fair for irrigation; 
No. 23 has been classed as bad for domestic use on accoimt of its high 
content of iron, but is good for irrigation. All three can be used 
successfully in boilers. 

The waters of weUs sunk on the slopes bordering the valley are 
somewhat better than those of the lowland wells tested. Analyses 
of the upland waters are not available, but water from one of the weUs 
on the Nuevo ranch is said to contain about 350 parts per million of 
solids in solution. 

ALK&LI. 

Heavy deposits of alkali have not been formed in the lowlands 
of the Lakeview area, but along the course of the river north and 
west of Lakeview the soil is rather alkaline and is given over to 
pasturage. Possibly ditching and careful cultivation might fit this 
land for some of the more resistant forage crops, such as sugar beets, 
but the land is so flat that successful leaching out of the salts by 
drainage would probably be very difficult. 

MORENO AREA. 
LOCATIOIT AND CHARACTER. 

The Moreno area is at the northern end of the San Jacinto basin, 
between the hills that culminate in Mount Russell, on the south, and 
Box Spring Mountams and the Badlands, which together form the 
northern border of the basin. To the east the land slopes gently 
downward from an almost imperceptible drainage divide near Moreno, 
to the lowlands of San Jacinto River. To the west the slope is 
equally gradual down to Alessandro Valley, which constitutes the 
upper part of the Ferris area. 



48 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 



The Moreno area as a whole forms a great outwash slope that 
extends along the base of Box Springs Mountains and the hills 
farther east. The surface of this slope is, however, interrupted by 
half-buried outliers of the granitic hills, and though in most places 
the unconsolidated deposits are deep, in a few the underljang bed- 
rock has been reached by wells. The depth at which rock is reported 
in Wells examined is indicated in Plate III (in pocket). 

Most of the soil is a fairly coarse and loose material derived from 
the decay of the granitic rocks of near-by hills. In the northeastern 
part of the area the older clays and gravels of the Badlands produce 
a somewhat heavier soil. 

GROTTND-WATEB, LEVEL. 

At Moreno the depth to water in 1915 was fully 100 feet, but to 
the southwest it was less, being about 60 feet in the eastern part of 
Alessandro Valley. Westward from Moreno the depth to water is 
somewhat greater, though near Armada it is influenced by the pres- 
ence of bedrock. At this latter settlement the water level was 
about 90 feet below the surface in the fall of 1915, and thence the 
depth apparently decreased gradually to about 60 feet near Box 
Springs. Northward, as the ground rises toward the Badlands, the 
depth to water increases. The slope of the ground-water table in 
this region is also very appreciable, so that at a well north of Moreno, 
where the surface is 300 feet above the settlement, the depth to 
water had increased only 125 feet, being 225 below the surface in the 
fall of 1915. At the base of the Badlands some test wells have ob- 
tained small quantities of water in the sandy shales of the older 
formations at 80 to 100 feet, but other wells have found these mate- 
rials practically dry to depths of nearly 200 feet. Two deep wells 
that were drilled for oil in the Badlands 4 miles northeast of Moreno 
are said to have struck small flows of warm artesian water. Two 
deep test wells at Moreno obtained artesian water which rose within 
a few feet of the surface and which had a temperature of about 120° 
F. The following partial analyses of water from these wells, and 
also from a pumping-plant well (No. 9 of PI. Ill, in pocket) have been 
furnished by Mr. P. J. McCarty, manager of the property: 

Partial analyses of well waters on E. E. Hendricks estate, Moreno area. 
[Collected in 1907; Edward S. Babcock, analyst. Parts per million.] 



No. ,5." 



West well. East well, 



No. 9. a 



Calcium and magnesium (Ca+Mg) 
Sodium and potassium (Na+ K).. . 

Bicarbonate radicle ^(HCOs) 

Sulphate radicle (SOi) 

Chloride radicle (Cl) 

Total dissolved solids 



43 

64 

130 

15 

88 

350 



170 
99 
6.7 
213 

'■448 



41 
116 
116 

6.9'] 
179 
C400 



a Numbers of location on PI. Ill (in pocket). 
i Reported as carbonate in original analysis. 
c By summation. 



MORENO AEEA. 



49 



The waters seem, from these partial analyses, to be sodiiim- 
chloride in character, though the amounts of chloride present prob- 
ably do not seriously affect their use for irrigation. 



Feet 



Feet^ 



3ncf c/ay 



Gr3i/e/; 

3 litll^ tvater 

C/ay 

Gra\/e/ 

Clay 

Grai^e/ 

C/ay 

Coarse ^rave/ 



~^Oay 



'.■i\ Cemented 

•T^ ^rai^e/ and sane/ 

3 C/ay w/c/7 stones 



Wat£r stood at 
Qifeet yv/fen 
dn/led (/S03 or I909J 



Soil 
and 
clay 



Sand 

snc/ 

clay 



Cray 



Feet 



Sol/ 
and cisy 



~ Sand 



C/ay 



Sandf 
C/ay) 



C/ay 

with S3/7ff 



I C/a, 



p~j grave/ 

.,.„., Fine 
^ grai'ei 



iMi Granite 



■^5^1 



C/ay 

Sand 
Grai/el 
C/ay , 
Grave/ 



C/ay 



I Sand 
j Crave/ 



\C/ay 



273 
2a6 
230 
296 
300 



Soil and clay 
Sand 



390^ 

392 R 

3a&i 



=jS Clay' 



Coarse gravel, v/ater 
Sandy c/ay 
Fine ^rave/ 
C/ay 

^■i Clay ivit/i ^rai/e/ 

Sanc/y c/ay 
Fine ^rave/ 
I C/ay wit/i §raye/ 

hC/ay 

yFine ^rave/ 

I C/ay with ^rave/ 
Clay 

v'^'d F/ne ^rave/ 

C/ay i^/tt? ^ra\/e/ 

Fine grave/ 

C/ay 
\Sand 
\ Sandy c/ay 
%,Grave/ 
■ Clay 

Coarse sand 

Cemented c/ay 

Gravel 

C/ay 

Sand 



C/ay 
'^s C/ay iviif? grave/ 

Crave/ 
%/Cemented sand 
■pClay 

■ demented gr<ave/ 
•fomented sand 
' Cemented grave/ 

Mixed sand 
and grave/ 



Water stood at 4-7 Feet 
^ wiien drilled (I906J 



Hoc water rose in these 
tve/ls nearly to t/ie surface. 

Figure 10.— Logs of wells in the Moreno area. 
71065°— 1&—WSP 429 4 



50 GBOUND WATEB IX SAN JACIKTO A2TD TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

The logs of the two hot-water wells, given in figure 10, together- 
with the records of two other wells in the area, show a great 
predominance of clay in the sections and relatively thin water- 
bearing strata. 

IRRIGATION. 

In the early nineties an extensive distribution systena of vitrified 
pipe was laid tlxroughout the Moreno area, and lands estimated at 
about 2,000 acres were planted to deciduous and citrus fruit trees. 
Water for irrigation was supplied for several years through a canal 
of the Bear YaUey system, but shortage due to diy years and the 
increasing demands of orchards in the neighborhood of Redlands, 
which had prior water I'ights, curtailed the supply to the Moreno 
region. Many of the orchard trees died and have long since been 
removed, and the land is given over to its early use for raising grain. 
A part of the orchard lands, however, has been kept supplied with 
water brought from ^lill Creek by a tunnel southward through the 
divide, and in 1915 about 300 acres of citrus trees were watered from 
this source. A prmiping plant in the lower part of the area supplied 
80 miner's inches, or 720 gallons per minute, for the irrigation of 
additional orchards. A considerable acreage of alfalfa was also 
watered by a pumping plant somewhat farther south, in the lowest 
lands of the area. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

Samples of water from three wells in the Moreno area (wells 1, 3, 
and 4 of PI. Ill, in pocket) were collected for chemical examination, 
the results being included in the table of analyses and laboratory 
assays opposite page 40. 

The analyses show that the water of well No. 1 contains only 210 
parts per million of total solids but has 50 parts per million of 
chloride and 93 parts per million of bicarbonate. Its alkali coeffi- 
cient is 34 inches and it is therefore classed as good for irrigation. 

The water of well 3, at IMidland school, is poor for irrigation. It 
contains 942 parts per million of total soUds, of which 350 parts are 
chloride. WeU 4, at Moreno school, contains 400 parts of solids, but 
its quality for irrigation is f ah*, because the solids consist chiefly of 
bicarbonates, which are not so objectionable in waters to be used 
for irrigation as the chlorides, sulphates, and normal carbonates. 

PEBRIS AREA. 
LOCATION AND CHARACTEE. 

The Ferris area embraces a stretch of the vaUey land 3 to 4 miles 
wide extending from the northwest rim of the San Jacinto basin at 
Box Springs southward through Alessandro and Ferris valleys to the 
low divides that separate the Ferris VaUey from Menifee and Win- 
chester valleys. The greater part of the vaUey north of Ferris is 



TJ. S. GEOLOGICAL SUEVET 



WATER-SUPPLY PAPEE 429 PLATE XI 




A. SAN JACINTO RIVER NEAR PERRIS. 




B. LAND NEAR PERRIS PREPARED FOR SEEDING TO ALFALFA. 



PEKKIS AREA. 51 

sliown in Plate IX, A. On the west the area is bordered by granitic 
slopes that form the rim of San Jacinto basin; on the east its lunit is 
less definitely marked, for northeastward the open land extends 
uninterruptedly to Moreno, and southeastward the lowland extends 
up the valley of San Jacinto River, which crosses Perris Valley nearly 
at right angles. An extension of Perris VaUey also embraces open 
lands between the two main ranges of hills that culmiaate south of 
Moreno in Mount Russell. In the south a similar arm extends east- 
ward between Double Butte and the Lake view Mountains. 

In the northern part of the valley lands bedrock crops out in 
granitic ledges a mUe east of Box Springs and also in a small area a 
mile southeast of Alessandro. Several wells a mile to the south and 
east of the latter outcrop have also reached bedrock at depths of 76 
to 162 feet, as is indicated in Plate III (in pocket). In the valley 
extension south of Mount Russell the rock forms a number of hiUs 
and ledges which indicate that the valley fiU is relatively shallow 
throughout this part of the lowland, but in most places the alluvium 
appears to be fairly thick, and many weUs more than 200 feet deep 
penetrate only unconsolidated materials. 

Along the valley borders in the northern part of the area the soil 
is derived from the weathering of the neighboring granitic slopes and 
is fairly loose and sandy. In the lowlands northeast of Perris and 
in a belt half a mile or more wide along San Jacinto River, the soil is 
finer and darker. The reddish color of the soil in the southwestern 
part of Perris Valley is due partly to its derivation from dioritic rocks 
which contain larger amounts of iron-bearing minerals than are con- 
tained in the more common granite. 

GROXriTD-WATER LEVEL. 

The total area draining to Perris and Alessandro valleys north of 
Perris is about 100 square miles, but the slope of the greater part of 
this area is very gentle and the run-off is so slight that well-defined 
drainage channels have been cut only in the higher bordering slopes. 
Even San Jacinto River flows across Perris Valley in a channel only 
a few feet deep. (See PI. XI, A.) The gently sloping surface requires 
little grading to fit it for planting to alfalfa (PL XI, B) and a relatively 
large proportion of the water that falls within Perris and Alessandro 
valleys is probably absorbed and aids in replenishing the groimd- 
water supply. 

The general character of the valley fiU and the relative thickness of 
the water-bearing layers are shown in the logs of several weUs given 
in figure 11. 

In 1904, when information concerning the ground- water level in 
the Perris region was first collected by the United States Geological 
Survey, the depth to water varied from about 20 feet in the lower 
lands to 70 feet in the vicinity of Alessandro. With the extensive 



52 GEOUKD WATEE IN" SAN JACIKTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

use of pumping krigation the water level lias fallen notably in the 
areas where pumping has been most actively carried on, and by the 
fall of 1915 the level was in general 20 to 40 feet lower. The change 



Ml) 



</)0i 



■Of, 






Hi!!i!i!l!!:i!i!ii!i:!Ji!iliiliil^l!i!il!!i!!!il!!!l^ 



•00 



11 






<^ ^ 



-.^ 









■^ i!^!lililili!i!BII !!ilPMiil!!i!!!!!iii!!!i!ili!il|i!i!!!^ 



^5- Is5 5^1 % If 






(p!i|iHi!;i!lj|H*Ss«^|||||||i|!|l»s5^ 



N Qir. 












.^ 









4i 



!i!i!l^^lil!i!i^llJI!Biiiliiai 



m 



l5) 111, 



CO at; y)sC3GGe)5«>G 



5| 



llHiiillilllfefoPllii i IS I 



r 






Si 



.«)^ 






llliiilisiiiiili^i^iili 



Mi 









(jy) 



coHli! 

MiilL 



MBliilliS 



OOP?.;)?;.'! I K.'.tKPAj 1 1 






1^ 



^ 



i!!iii!!!!i!!!!Blliaii!|i!!!!!i!!i!l!!!: 






o-'oSt 



in water level, so far as it was shown by measurements made in 
numerous wells ui 1904 and in 1915, is indicated by the lines in 
Plate III (in pocket), which show the depth of water at the two 
periods. It will be noted that east of Alessandro, beyond the zone 



PEEEIS AREA. 



53 



of active pumping, the water level in 1915 was approximately the 
same as in 1904. On the western edge of the vallev, too, the ground- 
water level appears not to be noticeably affected by the use of the 
water for irrigation in the lower lands to the east. In fact, the depth 
to water in several domestic wells along the western border of the 
valley was som.ewhat less in November, 1915, than it was in March, 
1904. 

The shape of the rock bottom, of the valley apparently influences 
to an appreciable extent the depth to water throughout it. The 
depth is greatest in wells in a narrow north-south zone near Valverde, 
and is less both to the west, beneath the liigher lands of the valley 
border, and to the east, beneath the lower parts of the valley. 

The depth to water in several wells in the Perris area has been 
measui'ed from time to time since March, 1904, and the records are 
given in the following tables : 

Water levels in observation wells in the Perris area, Cal. 

Well No. 10, 2 J miles south of Alessandro.^ 
(Owner, Riverside County.] 



Depth to 
-,«„, water 

1904. (feet). 

Oct. 18 52.3 

Nov. 18 51. 8 

Dec. 15 51.6 



1905. 
Jan. 13 



51.7 



Feb. 22 50. 4 

Mar. 24 49. 5 

Apr. 19 49.2 

May 19 49. 1 

July 22 50. 3 

Aug. 18 50. 7 

Sept.22 50.9 

Nov. 9 51. 

1906. 

May 11 51. 7 

June 29 52. 3 

Aug. 3 52.7 

Sept.26 52.7 

1907. 

Feb. 13 51. 2 

Aug. 30 52.0 

Dec. 31 52. 1 



1908. 

Apr. 22 52. 1915. 

June 24 53. 3 Nov. 5 

Oct. 16 52. 4 

Dec. 29 52. 2 

1 This is record well 69 cf Water-Supply Papers 213, 251, and 331. 



Depth to 

^ nno water 

1909. (feet). 

Apr. 3 51.9 

July 12' 52. 2 

Oct. 15 52.5 

1910. 

Feb. 4 51.6 

Aug.ll 51.7 

1911. 

Jan. 6 51.1 

1912. 

July 27 52. 4 

Oct. 18 51. 1 



1913. 
Oct. 18 



52.9 



1914. 

Feb. 5 51.7 

Apr. 16 51.4 

Aug. 13 51. 9 

Sept.l5 52.7 

Nov. 20 52.7 



49.5 



54 GROUXD WATER i:;: sax JACIXTO A2sD temecula basixs, cal. 



Well No. 12, 4 miles northeast of Perris.i 

(Owner, Edward Poorman.J 



1904. 
Dec. 16 



Depth to 
water 
(feet). 

. . 32. 4 



1905. 

Jan. 14 32. 

Feb. 22 31. 5 

Sept.22 28.4 

Nov. 9 29. 

Dec. 22 29.3 

190G. 

Jan. 30 29. 3 

Mar. 16 29. 2 

May 11 29. 6 

Aug. 3 29. 9 

Sept.26 30. 

Dec. 20 30. 2 

1907. 

Feb. 13 30. 3 

May 17 30. 3 

Aug. 30 30. 6 

Dec. 31 30. 7 

1908. 

Apr. 22 30. 3 

June 24 31. 2 

Oct. 16 32. 5 

Dec. 29 31. 6 



Depth to 
1909. (feetj. 

Apr. 3 31.8 

July 12 32. 2 

Oct. 15 32. 6 



1910. 

Feb. 4 

Aug. 11 

1911. 
Jan. 6 

1912. 

May 28 37.2 

July 29 37. 1 

Oct. 18 38.9 



31.3 
33.0 

34.7 



1913. 
Oct. 18 



49.5 



1914. 

Feb. 5 50.1 

June 25 52. 3 

Sept. 16 54. 5 

Nov. 20 55. 2 

1915. 

Oct. 30 56. 

1916. 

July 29 58. 3 



1 This is record well 70 of Water-Supply Papers 213, 251, and 331. 



PEREIS AREA. 



55 



Well No. 24, 2^ miles north of Perris.i 

[Owner, C. S. Phillips (formerly owned by C. Lossman).] 



Depth to 

water 

(feet). 

. . 63. 2 



1904. 
Dec. 15 

1905. 

Jan. 13 63. 3 

Feb. 22 63. 

Mar. 20 62. 5 

Apr. 19 62. 2 

May 19 62. 

Juzie 20 62. 

July 22 62. 2 

Aug. 19 62. 2 

Sept. 22 62. 2 

Nov. 9 62. 4 

Dec. 22 62.4 

1906. 

Mar. 16 62. 3 

May 11 62. 4 

June 29 62. 4 

Aug. 3 63. 2 

Sept. 20 63. 3 

Dec. 20 63. 3 

1907. 

Feb. 13 63. 2 

Aug. 30 ..." 63.9 

Dec. 31 64. 



Depth to 
-,„«„ water 

1908. (feet). 

Apr. 22 64. 1 

Oct. 16 65.2 

Dec. 29 66.0 

1909. 

July 12 67. 6 

Oct. 14 69.5 

1910. 

Feb. 4 69.8 

Aug. 11 72. 9 

1911. 
Jan. 6 74.7 

1912. 
May 28 
July 29 
Oct. 18. 

1913. 
Oct. 18. 

1914. 
Feb. 5 
Kov. 20. 



(Dry). 



76.0 

Dry. 

Dry. 

Dry. 

Dry. 

Dry. 

1915. 
Nov. 5 Dry. 

1916. 
July 30 Dry. 



1904. 
Mar. 3. 

1905. 
Nov. 9. 
Dec. 22. 

1906. 
Jan. 29. 
May 12. 
June 28. 
Sept. 26. 
Dec. 20- 



1907. 


Feb. 


13 


May 


17 


Aug. 


31 


Dec. 


31 



Well No. 29, at Ferris. 

[Owners, Hook Bros.) 
1908. 



46. 





47. 


2 


46. 


7 


45.3 


46 


7 


48 


2 


48 


5 


49 


3 


48 


7 


48 


7 


48 


7 


49 


7 



Apr. 
June 
Oct. 
Dec. 



22. 
24. 
15. 

28. 



1909. 
Apr. 2- 
July 11. 

1915. 
Nov. 14. 

1916. 
July 30. 



49.5 
49.7 
50.2 
50.5 



50.3 
50.7 



51.0 



52.2 



This is record well 71 of Water-Supply Papers 213, 251, and 331. 



56 GROUKD WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 



WellNo.30, atPerris.i 

[Owner, Santos Moro (formerly o^^'ned "by Crawford Carter).] 



190^ 


L 


Mar. 


3 


Oct. 


18 


Nov. 


18 


Dec. 


15 


190f 


). 


Jan. 


13 


Feb. 


22 


Mar. 


26 


Apr. 


18 


May 


19 


June 


20 


Jnly 


23 


Sept. 


22 


Nov. 


9 


Dec. 


22 


190( 


i 


Jan. 


29 


Mar. 


16 


June 


28 


Aug. 


3 


Sept. 


26 


Dec. 


20 


1907. 


Feb. 


13 


May 


18 


1908. 


Apr. 


22 


June 


25 


Oct. 


15 


Dec. 


28 



Depth to 
water 
(feet). 

. . 30. 2 

. . 33. 3 

. . 33. 2 

. . 33. 3 



32.5 
31.7 
30.8 
30.6 
30.2 
30.1 
30.3 
30.5 
30.9 
31.3 

31.7 
31.7 
31.2 
31.7 
32.3 
32.2 



32.0 
32.2 

34.9 
36.0 

37.4 
37.2 



1909. 
Apr. 2. 
July 11. 
Oct. 14. 

1910. 
Feb. 3. 
Aug. 10. 

1911. 
Jan. 5. 

1912. 
May 28. 
July 29. 

1913. 
Oct. 18. 



1914 

Feb. 
Apr. 
May 
June 
Aug. 
Sept, 



1916. 
Oct. 31. 

1916. 
Feb. 25. 
May 6. 
July 30. 



Depth to 
water 
(feet). 

. . 37. 2 

. . 38. 3 

.. 39.5 



39.4 
41.4 



42.1 

45.5 
47.2 

50.5 



50.3 
51.6 
51.7 
52.2 
53.0 
53.7 



55.5 



, 55. 8 

54. 8 

56. 

Nov. 15 55.1 



1 This is record well 72 of Water-Supply Papers 213, 251, and 331. 



PEBEIS AREA. 



57 



Well No. 34, 3^ miles ea.°t of Perris. t 

[Owner, Mrs. L. R. Harford.] 



1901. 
May • 

1902. 
July - 
Oct. : 
Dec. : 

1903. 
Feb. 
Apr. 
May 
Sept. 

1904 
Jan. 

Feb. 
Mar. 
Mar. 
May 
July 
Sept. 



1905. 
Sept. 23. 
Dec. 22. 



1906. 



Jan. 

Mar. 

May 

June 

Aug. 

Sept. 

Dec. 



29. 
16. 
12. 
28. 

4. 
27. 
21. 



Depth to 
water 
(feet). 

. . 28. 9 



40.2 
41.6 

42.7 



38.6 
37.5 
38.2 
43.3 



43.3 
41.9 

41.7 
40.9 
42.8 
44.8 
45.4 

44.7 
43.0 



42. 

42. 

40. 

38. 

41. 

42.4 

43.5 



1907. 
Feb. 14. 
May 18. 
Aug. 31. 
Dec. 31. 

1908. 
Apr. 23. 
June 25 . 
Oct. 15. 
Dec. 28. 

1909. 
Apr. 2. 
July 11. 
Oct. 14. 

1910. 
Feb. 3. 
Aug. 10. 

1911. 
Jan. 5. 

1915. 
Nov. 9 . 

1916. 
July 30. 



Depth to 

water 
(feet). 

. . 41. 8 

. . 40. 3 

. . 40. 7 

.. 43.1 



41. 9 
43.4 
46.5 
46.7 



44.6 
43.9 
46.9 



46.5 
45.9 



49.9 



72.0 



67.0 



1 This 13 record well 73 of Water-Supply Papers 213, 251, and 331. 



58 GROUND ^VATER IX SA?T JACIXTO AXD TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 



Well No. 42, 2i miles south of Perris.' 

[Owner, Dr. Eeese.] 



1904 
Mar. 
Oct. 
Nov. 
Dec. 

1905 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Mar. 
May 
June 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Nov. 
Dec. 

1906 
Jan. 
Mar. 
May 
June 
Sept. 

1907 
Feb. 
May 
Dec. 

1908 
Apr. 
June 
Oct. 
Dec. 



13. 
22. 
26. 
19. 
20. 
23. 
19. 
23. 
10. 
22. 



Depth to 

■water 
(feetj. 

.. 15.0 

.. 21.8 

. . 19. 

.. 18.7 



18.4 
10.7 
9.6 
11.9 
13.3 
13.2 
13.3 
15. 5 
15.7 
15.8 



15.7 
15.6 
15.2 
15.4 
16.2 



15.7 
15.7 
16.6 

17.9 
16.7 
17.7 
18.0 



1913. 
Oct. 18. 



1914. 
Feb. 
May 
June 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Nov. 



1916. 
May 6. 
July 30. 
Nov. 15 . 



Depth to 

water 
(feet). 

. - 17. 9 

. . IS. 5 

.. 18.6 



1909. 

Apr. 2 

July 11 

Oct. 14 

1910. 

Feb. 3 

Aug. 10 

1911. 
Jan. 5 

1912. 

July 30 25.1 

Oct. 18 26.3 



18.2 
19.5 



20.7 



30.3 

31.2 
31.4 
31.8 
32.2 
32.5 
33.1 



1915. 

May 21 31.8 

Oct. 31 32.2 



10.6 
13.6 
14.6 



1 This is record well 76 of Water-Supply Papers 213, 251, and 331. 



PEBKIS AREA. 



59 



Well No. 43, 1^ miles west of EthanaC 
(Owner, Temescal Water Co.] 



1904. 
Mar. 
Oct. 
Nov. 
Dec. 

1905. 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Mar. 
June. 
July 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Nov. 
Dec. 

1906. 
Jan. 
Mar. 
May 
June 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Dec. 

1907. 
Feb. 
May 



18. 
18. 
15. 

13. 
22. 
26. 
20. 
23. 
19. 
23. 
10. 
22. 

29. 
16. 
12. 

28. 

4. 

27. 

21. 

14. 
18. 



Depth to 
water 
(feet). 
. . 24. 
. . 29. 8 
. . 30. 3 
.. 30.6 



1904. 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Mar. 
May 
July 

1905. 
Feb. 
Apr. 
June 
Aug. 
Sept. 
Oct. 
Nov. 
Dec. 

1906. 
Jan. 
Feb. 
Mar. 
May 
June 



20. 

5. 
18. 

5. 

1. 

1. 

6. 
22. 

29. 
4. 
16. 
12. 
28. 



30.2 
26.8 
25.8 
28.0 
28.7 
29.4 
29.7 
30.2 
29.7 

29.6 
28.7 
27.7 
27.7 
28.6 
30.1 
30.2 

29.2 
27.9 



1907. 
Aug. 31. 
Dec. 31. 

1908. 
Apr. 23. 
June 25 . 
Oct. 15. 
Dec. 28. 

1909. 
Apr. 2. 
July 11- 
Oct. 14. 

1910. 
Feb. 3. 
Aug. 10. 

1911. 
Jan. 5 . 

1912. 
May 29. 
July 30. 
Oct. 18. 

1913. 
Oct. 18. 



Depth to 
water 
(teet). 

. . 31. 

. . 31. 9 



31.6 
33.4 
35.0 
35.2 

33.7 
35.1 
36.2 

35.3 
39.0 

41.7 

47.2 
48.0 
49.9 



Filled up. 



Well No. 45, 3V miles 

[0^vIler, E. 



44.2 
41.3 
40.4 
41.6 
46.0 



44.7 
43.1 
45.4 
46.9 
47.5 
47.8 
48.2 
44.7 

42.8 
42.3 
42.7 
41.1 

44.8 



southeast of Perris." 
E. Waters.] 
1906. 

Aug. 4 45.0 

Sept. 27 47.5 

Dec. 21 45.2 

1907. 

Feb. 14 

Aug. 31 :.. 

Dec. 31 



1908. 
June 25. 
Oct. 15. 
Dec. 28. 

1909. 
Apr. 3. 
July 11. 
Oct. 14. 

1910. 
Feb. 3. 

1915. 
Nov. 8. 



43.2 
49.0 
47.9 

45.6 
46.2 
45.3 

48.3 
53.4 
55.2 

50.6 

'80.0 



1 This is record well 75 of Water-Supply Papers 213, 251, and 331. 

2 This is record well 74 of Water-Supply Papers 213, 251, and 331. 

3 Approximate measurement. 



60 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

Well No. 51, 4J miles south of Perris.i 

[Ovmer, William Newport.] 



1904 


L. 


Oct. 


18 


Nov. 


18 


Dec. 


15 


190c 


). 


Jan. 


13 


Feb. 


22 


Mar, 


26 


Apr. 


18 


May 


19 


Jxine 


20 


July 


23 


Aug. 


19 


Sept. 


23 


Nov. 


10 


Dec. 


22 


1906. 


Jan. 


29 


Mar. 


16 


May 


12 


June 


28 


Aug. 


4 


Sept. 


27 


Dec. 


21 


1907. 


Feb. 


14 


Aug. 


31 


Dec. 


31 



Deptli to 
water 
(feet). 

. . 37. 2 

. . 37. 8 

. . 38. 2 



38.7 
38.0 
37.0 
36.6 
36.1 
36.7 
37.7 
38.2 
38.6 
39.4 
39.3 



38.5 
38.4 
37.3 
36.2 
37.0 
38.0 
38.4 



38.7 
38.8 
40.4 



190S 




Apr. 


23 


June 


25 


Oct. 


15 


Dec. 


28 


1909 


. 


Apr. 


2 


July 


11 


Oct. 


14 



Depth to 
water 
(feet). 

. . 39. 5 

. . 40. 5 

. . 42. 7 

. . 43. 6 



43.0 
42.6 
43.6 



1910. 

Feb. 3 43.8 

Aug. 10 45.4 



1911. 
Jan. 5. 

1912. 
May 29. 
July 30. 
Oct. 18. 

1913. 
Oct. 18- 



49.1 

53.2 
56.1 
57.7 

63.4 



1914. 

Feb. 5 64.3 

Apr. 17 63.0 

June 25 Filled up. 



These records are shown graphically in figure 12. 

No large pumping plant had been installed near well 10 and the 
fluctuation there seems to have been due almost wholly to seasonal 
changes. The wet winter of 1914-15 apparently brought the water 
nearly up to its previous high level of the spring of 1905. WeUs 12, 
24, and 30, situated in and north of Perris, within the influence of 
heavy pumping, show an almost constant lowering of the water level 
and little apparent recovery during the winter months since 1905. 
Well 29, in the southern part of Perris, shows the general lowering 
due to the increased use of pumps, but it is too near the hills to be 
seriously affected by the decUne in the water level. The other 
record weUs are in the valley lands east of San Jacinto River. Dur- 
ing the early years of observation the water level appears to have 
partly recovered dm-ing each spring, but the later measurements 
show a great decline in the water level until the wet winter of 1915-16, 
during which the two record wells that were still measurable, showed 
a marked rise in the ground-water level. 



1 This is record well 77 of Water-Supply Papers 213, 215, and 331. 



PEEKIS AREA. 



61 





190.1 


I905 


1906 


1007 


1908. 


1909 


19:0 


19U 


1912 


1913 


1914 


1915 


1916 


so 

60 






1 . 








I.I. 




' 






* 


•. •• 


Well Nolo' 


• 






















30 
40 
60 
■60 






















1 












• 


' * • 


• 


























































• , 


• 
























































60 

70 


































• • 


• ., 




























Well No 


24 


Bcttom erf 


well D 


''y 


- 




























60 


• 




',' , 






1 


































* 


. 
























SO 
40 
60 


.. 








•. 


[.; 




























■, 


• 


•. 




















V 


/ell No. 


30 






*** 




























40 

50 
60 
70 






. ■ 


1 


















."'• , 


• 


" '• 








. • 
































































. 












V 


/ell No. 


34 
































10 
20 


























• 






• . , 




















■ 
















-. 






















V 


tell No. 


42 








• • 






























SO 




... 


_.._ 
















































50 


















, 




















\^ 


/ell No. 


43 




































40 
-SO 




























■ • 


' ■•". 


-.• 


. 










































































80 






































v\ 


Ml No. 


45 






































10 


... 


■•'•••... 




































• • • 


• . 














AO 


















• 






















V 


few No. 


51 




• 


• 







FiGUEE 12. — Diagram showing fluctuation of water level in record wells in the Ferris area. 



62 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

In the wide sandy river channel above San Jacinto a part of the 
flood water has-been successfully stored underground by spreading 
the water over the adjacent sandy wash lands and allowing it to be 
absorbed. Dm-ing the spreading the surface is harrowed or plowed 
to break up the layer of silt depos,ited by the muddy water and 
permit the more rapid absorption of water, as the value of wat$r 
spreading, as practiced here and at a few other places in southern 
California, depends on the abUity of the surface materials quickly 
to absorb the flood water. It- has been thought locally that the 
ground-water supply near Perris might be replenished by allowing 
flood water from the river to flow into pits dug down to the beds of 
coarse sand and gravel that lie at depths ranging from 15 to 40 feet, 
but it seems very doubtful whether the muddy water could be 
prevented from silting up the sandy beds in such pits sufiiciently 
to allow the absorption of enough water to justify the cost of the 
work. If the plan were carried out the ground-water level near 
the river might be appreciably raised, but the possibility of benefit 
to the lands north of Perris and in the vicinity of Ethanac, where 
the water level has lowered most seriously, is questionable. 

IRRIGATION. 

In the early nineties, in connection with the Bear VaUey reservoir, 
which had recently been constructed, a pipe line and distribution 
system were laid through parts of Alessandro and Perris valleys, 
and a number of orchards were set out in the lands previously given 
over ialmost wholly to grain raising. The available water supply 
soon proved inadequate for the needs of aU the lands originally 
watered by it, partly because of a succession of dry years that greatly 
reduced the quantity of water stored each winter, and partly because 
the growing trees required more water each year. As the lands in the 
Perris region were some of the latest to obtain water rights under the 
system, they were the first to suffer from the deficiency of water. 
Supply to these lands was discontinued about 1896, and after the 
failure of the Bear Valley supply there was Httle development in 
Perris Valley for several years. About the time that water ceased 
to be delivered through the pipe line to Perris lands, however, Dr. W. 
B, Pay ton proved the existence of a large supply of ground water by 
a well that he put down about 2 miles east of Perris. Others fol- 
lowed his example, and by 1900 perhaps 500 inches (10 second-feet) 
of ground water was being developed in the Perris area. The Ethan 
A. Chase Co. of Riverside had purchased land 3 miles southwest of 
Perris in 1898. In 1899 the company bored a number of wells and the 
next year installed a pimaping plant that delivered about 75 miner's 
inches. In 1900 the Temescal Water Co. hkewise entered the valley 
sank wells, and constructed a canal through Raflroad Canyon to Elsi- 
nore and thence down Temescal Wash to Corona to supply the orange 



Mineral analyses arvl classijication of water from drilled wells in the Ferris and Menifee areas. 
[Collected Novombor, 1915; S. C Dinsmoro, analyst. Parts por million except as othorwjso doslgnatod.] 





Location. 


Owner. 


Depth 

to water 

Nov., 1915 

(feet). 


Use. 


Determined quantities. 


Computed quantitles.h 


Classidcation.b 


Map 
ntim- 
bor.a 


SiUca 
(SiO,)- 


Iron 
(Fe). 


Calcl\im 
CCa). 


Magne- 
sium 
(Mg). 


Sodium 
and po- 
tassium 
(Na+K)e. 


Corlion- 

ate 
radicle 
(COa). 


Bicar- 
bonate 

radicle 
(HCO3). 


Sulphate 
radicle 
(SO.). 


Chloride 

radicle 
(CI). 


Nitrate 
radicle 
(NO3). 


Total 
solids at 

iso-c. 


Total 
hard- 

CaCOi. 


Scale- 
forming 
ingred- 
ients. 


Foam- 
ing in 
grcdi- 
cnts. 


Alkali 

coelli- 

cicnt 

(inches) 


Mineral 
content. 


Chemical 
character. 


Prob- 
ability 
of cor- 


QuaUty 
fordo- 

mesllc 


^'^ty Quality 


10 
13 


Ferris area: • 

2i miles south of Alcssimdro 

similes northeast of Ferris 

4 miles northeast of Ferris 


Riverside County 

Poorman Ranch 

H.C.Dailcy 

O.J. M. Favorite 

E E Waters 


49 
72 
42 
20 
NO 
(15 

32 


Roadside watering 

Domestic and dairy . . . 


41 
43 
55 
CG 
71 
54 


1.0 
.20 
.20 
.25 

3.7 
Tr. 

■ 


51 
54 
93 
79 
250 
77 

75 


21 
17 
20 
22 
72 
22 

19 


4G 
24 
120 
74 
911 
32 

92 


0.0 
.0 
.0 

[o 

.0 
.0 


15« 
100 
231 
22t3 
134 
175 

207 


17 
It) 
25 
25 
42 
72 

51 


105 
104 
265 
159 
512 
78 

167 


2^1 
14 
12 
15 
7.0 
28 

R.0 


399 
3S2 
804 
573 
1,450 
462 

5M 


214 
205 
339 
28S 

920 
283 

265 


230 
230 
370 
310 

<j:iO 

320 
290 


120 
05 
320 

200 
260 

86 

250 


19 
20 

7.7 
13 

4.0 
20 

12 


Moderate . 

...do 

High 

'.'.'.Ao'.'.'.'.V. 
Moderate.. 

High 


Ca-Cl 

...do 

Nfl-Cl 

Ca-Cl 

...do 

Ca-COj.... 

Na-CL.... 


(?) 

(?) 
<7) 
(7) 

(?) 


Fair 

...do 

Bad. 

Fair. 

Bad 

Fair 


Poor 

...do 

Bad 

Poor 

Very bad . 
Poor 


Good. 

Do. 
Fair. 

Do. 
Poor. 




do 

Irrigation 

Domestic and irrigation 


45 
49 

64 


3i miles southeast of Porris 




Menifee area: 


Menifee school 

















n Map numbers correspond to numbers of locations on Plate III, in pocket. 

6 See standards for classitlcation by R. B. Dole and Herman Stabler in "Ground water in San Joaquin Valley, Cal.," by Mendeuhall, Dole, and Slabler: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 398, pp. 60-81, 1916. 

c Calculated. 

d (?) 1= corrosion uncertain or doubtful. 

Laboratory assays and classification of scaler from ^vclls in th-c Pen-is and Menifer areas. 
[Collected November, 1915; S. C. Dinsmore, analyst. Parts per million except as othcnviso designated.] 



Ferris area: 

At Alcssandro 

3) miles east of Alessandro 

2 miles northeast of Valverde.-, 
6 miles northeast of Valverde. .- 
I J miles north of Ferris 

3 miles northeast of Ferris 

in west part of Ferris 

1 mile northeast of Ferris 

3 miles nortlieast of Ferris 

I J miles south of Ferris 

1 mile southeast of Ferris 

34 miles southeast of Perri; 

4'miles southeast of Perris 

Menifee area: 

5 miles southeast of Perris 

2i miles east of Menifee school . 



Riverside County.. 



Temescal Water Co. . 



Depth 

to water 

Nov., 1915 

(feet). 



Roadside watering 

Domestic and stock 

Domestic and irrigation . . 
Domestic 



Domestic and irrigatioi 

Domestic 

Municipal supply 

Domestic 



Boiler (treated) 

Domestic and irrigation . 
Irrigation 



Determined quantities. 



Carbonate 
radicle 

<C03). 



Bicarbon- 
ate radielo 
(HCOj). 



Sulphate 
radielo 
(SO,). 



Chloride 
radicle 
(01). 



Computed quantities.^ 



Scale-form- 
ing ingre- 
dients 



Alkali co- 
otnciont 
(inches). 



Na-COj.. 

Na-Cl. . . 

...do 

..-do.... 

Na-COn. 
...do-... 
...do.... 

Na-Cl... 
...do.... 
...do.... 
...do.-.. 



Good... 

..do... 
...do... 

Fair,.., 

Good.. 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

Bad... 

Fair... 

Bad... 

Fair... 



Fair 

Dad 

Very bad. 

..do 

Fair 

..do 

...do 

Bad 

Fair 

Very bad. 



Good. 
Fair. 



Poor. 
Fair. 
Poor. 



I SSSrdl ^SrS^t^,"XXSS«°^inIXnWtiMR%,<,u^^ water In San Joaquin Valley, Cal.," by Mendeuhall, Dole, and Stabler. U. S. Oeol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 308, pp. 60-Sl, 1916. 

; (?)= corrosion uncertain or doubtful. 



71065°- -19. (To face page 62.) 



PERBIS AREA. 63 

groves of that section. A failure of local supplies in an earlier period 
had forced Corona orchardists to use the Elsinore Lake water, but 
this water was so alkaliiie that its use seriously injured the trees, and 
the orange growers were forced to seek supplies elsewhere.^ This 
necessity led them to Perris Valley and to the construction of a pipe 
line thence to Corona. The pipe Hne has a capacity of about 600 
inches and the pumping of this amount of water for conveyance 
outside the valley, together with the growing local developments 
and the dry years, led to lowering of the water table and to litigation 
over water rights. The right of the Temescal Water Co. to its supply 
was confirmed, and it now pumps during the irrigating months up 
to the capacity of its pipe hne. Local developments have likewise 
continued and, during recent years, at an increasing rate. In 1899 
there were six plants in Perris Valley, pumping a total of about 
500 miner's inches of water. In 1907 there were tliirteen plants 
in addition to those of the Temescal Water Co., the total capacity 
of aU being about 2,000 inches. In the faU of 1915 sixty-one active 
plants were counted, including those of the Temescal Water Co. 
A number of dismantled plants also were scattered through the 
vaUey. The total area irrigated was about 4,000 acres, nearly all 
being planted to alfalfa, and other fields were being leveled pre- 
paratory to seeding. (See PI. XI, B.) Assuming a duty of water 
of 3 acre-feet to the acre, apparently about 12,000 acre-feet of water 
was lifted during the irrigating season to supply the local needs, in 
addition to the 600 or 700 acre-feet pumped during the season of 
eight or ten months from the wells of the Temescal Water Co. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

Samples of water collected from 19 weUs scattered throughout 
the Perris area were examined chemically to ascertain their value 
for irrigation and other uses. The results of the analyses and labora- 
tory assays are given in the tables facing page 62. 

The analyses of water from weUs in the Perris area show a con- 
siderable range in the amount of the dissolved constituents. The 
lowest amount of dissolved mineral matter — 250 parts per million — is 
found in the water from well No. 7 at Alessandro. The greatest 
amount of mineral matter — 1,450 parts per million — is found in well 
No. 45, 3^ miles southeast of Perris. The waters range from good to 
bad for domestic use and from good to poor for irrigation. A few of 
the waters have been classed as fair for boiler use, but most of them 
are bad or very bad because of large amounts of scale-forming or 
foamins; iao-redients. 

1 The increase in alkalinity of the orchard soils is described by E. W. Hilgard in XJ. S. Dept. Agr. 
Report of irrigation investigations, 1901, p. 144, 1902. 



64 GKOUND WATEK IN SAE" JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

ALKALI. 

The lower parts of Perris Valley, epecially the lands east of 
Perris near the river channel, are flat and poorly drained. Alkali 
has here formed to some extent, but presumably during a period 
prior to the development of irrigation, when the ground-water level 
was close to the surface and evaporation and concentration took 
place from a fairly moist area. In recent years the depth to water 
has increased, and in 1915 it was 30 feet or more tlu-oughout the 
alkaline areas. This lowering of the ground-water level has probably 
benefited the lowlands by stopping the accumulation of alkali, but 
the lands are so flat that it might prove difficult to leach out the salts 
by irrigation and drainage. Common salt seems to be the principal 
salt in the waters, and although apparently not present in very great 
amount, it prevents satisfactory growth of grain on the land. It is 
possible, however, that some forage crops more resistant to alkaU 
could be profitably grown on some of the land that was uncultivated 
in 1915. 

MENIFEE AREA. 
LOCATION AND CHARACTER. 

The Menifee area as here described includes Menifee and Paloma 
valleys. On the north it is separated from Perris Valley by a wide, 
low alluvial divide. On the east it receives the drainage from Wui- 
chester and Domenigoni valleys through narrow connecting belts of 
lowland. Its eastern extension, Paloma VaUey, is a wide area of 
gently roUing land that rises southward in its central part to an ill- 
defined divide that marks the hmit of the San Jacinto basin in this 
locality. The drainage outlet from Menifee VaUey is westward 
through Salt Creek to San Jacinto River in Railroad Canyon. In 
the western part of the valley the creek channel is well defined, but 
the run-off from the tributary valleys to the east and south is small 
and it has succeeded in forming only slight channels through the 
greater part of Menifee Valley. 

In its lower course Salt Creek reaches Railroad Canyon through a 
deep gorge that is locally considered to be a former channel of the 
main river — a hypothesis that is favored by the disproportionate size 
of the gorge with respect to the flood water that now passes through 
it. A well drilled in 1915 at the outlet of the vaUey struck water- 
worn gravel containing pebbles the size of a man's fist at a depth of 
90 to 121 feet, and another well 245 feet deep, encountered similar 
gravel but no bedrock. The presence of the deeply buried gravel 
tends to confirm the topographic evidence that Salt Creek may have 
been at one time the outlet of San Jacinto River, but neither the 
available logs of wells nor the present surface features indicate 
whether the river flowed through Menifee Valle}' by way of Perris 
Valley or entered it from Winchester VaUey. 



MENIFEE AREA. 



65 



Feet 



A belt of lime carbonate or caliche — the only sucn material that 
was seen in either the San Jacinto or the Temecula basin — extends 
along the southern side of the channel of Salt Creek for 200 yards or 
more in the SE. I sec. 32, T. 5 S., R. 3 W. This Hme formation was 
possibly deposited during a period in which water was ponded in 
Menifee Valley and became overcharged with lime salts, though 
extensive cahche deposits are formed in southwestern Nevada and 
other arid sections by a process of evaporation similar to that by 
which alkaU collects. 

Throughout the lower part of Menifee Valley the soil is a rather 
heavy loam, but on the bordering slopes and in Paloma Valley it is 
more sandy and consists essentially of the disintegrated rocks of the 
adjacent slopes. In part the rocks of the bordering hills are coarse 
gray granite, but at .several places this rock is intruded by schists 
that render the resultant soil heavier and more reddish. 

GROUND-WATER LEVEL. 

Throughout the greater part of Menifee and Paloma valleys the 
ground- water level was in 1915 within 20 feet of the surface. In the 
eastern part of the Menifee Valley water was withia 10 feet of the 
surface and at one place in Paloma Val- 
ley the ground water was so close to the 
surface that a small tract of marsh was 
formed by the seepage at the base of low 
slopes. Near the hidefinite divide between 
Menifee and Perris valleys at the north- 
west the depth to water is greater, and 
in wells on the higher slopes it is nearly 
80 feet. 

The log of a well in the lower part of 
the valley, given in figure 13, shows the 
succession of layers of clay and gravel. 

Measurements of the depth to water in 
numerous wells in Menifee VaUey in 
March, 1904, when compared with similar 
measurements made in November, 1915, 
show that at the later date the water level 
was somewhat nearer the surface through- 
out the central part of the valley than 
it was in 1904. This fact is shown in Plate III (in pocket) by the 
position of the lines showing a depth of 20 feet to water in 1904 
and in 1915. The rise in the ground- water level is probably due 
chiefly to the fact that the rainfall during the winter of 1903-4 
and the preceding decade was less than the average, whereas during 
the winter of 1914-15 it was somewhat more than the average. 
71065°— 19— wsp 429 5 



2IS 



^M Coarse ^r^i/'e/; ly^ier' 

Coarse ,^rai^e/ 
Sji^l Crai^e/ ivith stones 

S Clay 

Coarse £r^\^el 



Cemer?tecf ^rsyel 
and scones 



Cemented graye/ 
C/ay 

Graye/; i/yater 



Water stood at 6 feet 
lvhe/7 c/ri//ec/0898J 

FiGiTRE 13. — Log of well in Menllee 
VaUey. 



66 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 



The records of the depths to water in three wells hi Menifee Valley 
at intervals during 1904-1916 are given in the following tables: 

Water levels in observation wells in the Menifee area, Cal. 
Well No. 53 , opposite Menifee School.i 

[Owner, William Newport.] 



27.2 

24.0 

21.6 

21.7 

21.5 

June -20 21.7 

22.5 

22.2 

; 21.6 

21.9 

22.9 



1904. 


Oct. 


18 


Nov. 


18 


Dec. 


15 


1905. 


Jan. 


13 


Feb. 


22 


Mar. 


26 


Apr. 


i8 


May- 


19 


June 


-20 


July 


23 


Aug. 


19 


Sept. 


23 


Nov. 


9 


Dec. 


22 


1906. 


Jan. 


29 


Mar. 


16 


May 


12. 


June 


28 


Aug. 


4 


Sept. 


27 


Dec. 


21. 


1907. 


Feb. 


14. 


May 


18. 


Aug. 


30. 


Dec. 


31. 


1908. 


Apr. 


23. 


June 


25. 


Oct. 


15. 


Dec. 


28 



Depth 

to water 

(feet). 

. . 28. 2 

. . 28. 2 
. . 27. 6 



22.9 
21.7 
19.8 
19.8 
21.0 
21.6 
21.8 



19.8 
18.2 
19.7 
20.7 

19.6 
20.4 

21.5 

21.9 



1909. 
Apr. 2. 
July 11. 
Oct. 14. 

1910. 
Feb. 3. 
Aug. 10. 

1911. 
Jan. 5. 

1912. 
May 29. 
July 30. 
Oct. 18. 

1913. 
Oct. 18. 

1914. 
Feb. 5. 
Apr. 
June 
Aug. 
Sept. 



1915. 
May 21. 
Oct. 31. 

1916. 
May 6. 
July 30. 
Nov. 15. 



Depth 

to water 

(feet). 

. 21.5 

. 22.4 

. 23.3 



22.0 
22.9 



23.7 



25.2 
26.7 

31.7 



30.2 



31.9 
31.5 
29.4 
30.2 
30.9 



Nov. 21 31.J 



26.7 
28.8 



23.4 
25.3 
26.8 



1 This is record well 78 of Water-Supply Papers 213, 251, and 331. 



MENIFEE AEEA. 



67 



25. 
18. 
19. 
23. 
23. 
10. 
22. 



29. 
16. 

12. 
28. 
4. 
27. 
21. 



Well No. 56, 3 miles north of east of Menifee School.' 

[Owner, Mr. Ainley (formerly owned by H. H. Lindenlserger).] 

Depth 

to water 

(feet). 

26.0 



23.3 
22.4 
20.2 
19.0 
19.0 
18.6 
18.5 
18.2 

18.0 
18.2 
16.7 
16.7 
16.9 
16.8 

13.5 
11.0 
13.3 
14.2 

9.2 
11.0 
10.9 



1909. 


Apr. 


2 


July 


11 


Oct. 


14 


1910. 


Feb. 


3 


1911. 


Jan. 


5 


1912. 


May 


29 


July 


30 


Oct. 


18 


1913. 


Oct. 


18 


1914. 


Feb. 


5 


Apr. 


17 


June 


25 


Aug. 


14 


Sept. 


15 


Nov. 


21 


1915. 


May 


21 


Oct. 


31 


1916. 


May 


6 


July 


30 


Nov. 


]5 



Well No. 57, 2 J miles east of Menifee School. 
[Owner, H. H. Lindenberger.] 
1908. 
Dec. 28 



11.0 


11.5 


12.0 


11.3 


6.7 


8.0 


9.2 


9.7 


9.9 


4.4 


5.9 


9.3 


9.7 


9.3 


9.2 


11.0 



1909. 
Apr. 2. 
July 1] . 
Oct. 14. 

1910. 
Feb. 3- 
Aug. 10. 

1911. 
Jan. 5 . 

1912. 
May 29. 
July 30. 
Oct. 18. 

1915. 
Nov. 23. 

1916. 
July 30. 



Depth 

to water 

(feet). 

. 16.3 

. 20.2 

. 18.3 



7.7 



19.2 



20. 
21. 
21. 



23.2 

22.5 
19.9 
19.6 
19.9 
20.0 
16.6 



15. 
16. 



9.8 
10.8 
13.7 



10.9 

9.4 
11.0 
11.2 

8.0 
12.3 

13.2 

8.2 
9.1 
9.7 

10.0 

9.7 



1 This is record well 79 o£ Water-Supply Papers 213, 251, and 331. 



68 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

Figure 14, in which these measurements are presented graphically, 
shows somewhat more clearly than the tables that the water level 
has fluctuated considerably each year, but that on the whole the 
depth to water has not notably changed during the period of observa- 
tion. 





1904 


1905 


1906 


1907 


1908 


1909 


1910 


1911 


1912 


1S13 


1914 


1915 


1916 










. 


. 






















•••••• •• , 


.• •• • 




• i 


• • . 


• 


, 










. 


U 30 


..• 
















• 






• . 


• 


1 








Well No. 


53 


• 




• • • • 






m 10 






















































° ' 
















. 


O 20 
E 25 






.." • • 






• 


• 






, 


• 






.• 














. 


• 






* 










Well No.|56 




































5 
10 
































•. 


* 






. 




. 












" 


•• 




• 


• • 


• 


























Well No. 


57 













FiQUEE 14. — Diagram showing fluctuation of water level in record wells in Menifee Valley. 

IRBIGATIOK. 

On the Newport ranch in the central part of Menifee VaUey fields 
of alfalfa and a small orchard of deciduous fruit trees have been 
irrigated for many years. During recent years the acreage of alfalfa 
on this ranch has been greatly increased, and additional tracts in 
the northern part of the valley have been planted to alfaKa. (See 
PL V, in pocket.) In the southern and the eastern parts gf the 
vaUey aKaHa was also irrigated in 1915, but by far the most of the 
valley lands were given over to grain raising and to grazing. As 
the ground-water level is near the surface throughout Menifee Valley 
it would appear feasible to install more pumping plants and irrigate . 
a much larger area than was irrigated in 1915. Although the drain- 
age area tributary to the vaUey is large, embracing all the lands 
tributary to Winchester, Diamond, Domenigoni and Paloma valleys ' 
the greater part of the run-off from the slopes tributary to these 
valleys does not escape to Menifee Valley. Contributions to the 
ground water of this valley are, therefore, derived from a relatively 
small drainage area, and the total supply of water for pumping 
is accordingly small. 

In Paloma Valley in 1915 practically aU the cultivated land was 
devoted to grain raising, and irrigation had been restricted to small 
gardens. This valley is a low place in the southern rim of the San 
Jacinto basin, the open, shghtly elevated lands in its central part 
forming the divide between the San Jacinto and Temecula basins. 
The drainage area tributary to lowlands in the northern part of the 



ELSINORE LAKE AEEA. 69 

valley is therefore small, and the supply of ground water available for 
uTigation is also doubtless very small. It is probable, however, that 
in the lower lands in the northern part of the valley sufficient water 
can be obtained from wells to irrigate on the adjacent slopes a con- 
siderable acreage of deciduous fruit trees, which require much less 
water'per acre than is required by alfalfa. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

The results of chemical examination of samples of water from 
three wells in Menifee Valley (Nos. 50, 54, and 57) are included in 
the table opposite page 62. 

The analyses show that well 50 furnishes a soditim-chloride water 
containing 600 parts per million of total solids, nearly one-third of 
which is chloride. In 1915 the water was used both for domestic 
supply and for irrigation, but it is poor for irrigation and only fair 
for domestic use. Well 54, at Menifee school, furnishes sodium- 
chloride water which is fair for domestic use. Well 57, which was 
in 1915, used only to supply a cattle trough, yields water containing 
316 parts of chloride. It is a sodium-chloride water, of poor quality 
for irrigation. 

ALKALI. 

As would be expected in a vaUey where the gi'ound-water level is 
relatively close to the surface and the water is of the character indi- 
cated by tflb three analyses given, alkali has collected in noticeable 
amounts in parts of Menifee VaUey, the more alkaline land forming 
a belt along the course of Salt Creek. In the eastern part of the 
valley certain areas near the channel of the cseek are apparently too 
alkahne to permit the raising of grain but the appearance of the 
land in 1915 did not indicate that it was too alkaline for the successful 
growing of sugar beets or other alkah-resistant forage crops. 

ELSINOBE LAKE AEEA. 
LOCATION AND CHARACTER. 

Elsinore Lake lies southwest of the main San Jacinto basin, whose 
run-off it receives through RaUroad Canyon. The lake basin is 
bordered on the southwest by the steep and imposing front of Elsinore 
Mountains (see PI. XII) and on the northeast by hills which, though 
much less prominent, rise abruptly near the lake edge. At the 
northwest end the slope upward to the mountains is fairly steep, but 
to the southeast a wide area of lowland succeeded by a gently rolling 
surface extends to the indefinite divide between the Elsinore and 
Temecula basins. 



70 GROUND WATEE IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 



GEOLOGIC FEATirilES. 

Elsinore Lake basin was probably in large part formed by a fault 
along which the San Jacinto mountain mass, as related to the Santa 
Ana and Elsinore mountain masses, was dropped. The prominent 
fronts of the latter ranges furnish suggestive evidence of the fault 
zone, and the hot water that rises at Elsinore further indicates that 
the fault passes along the northeast side of Elsinore VaUey. Soft 
Tertiary rocks in the basin, as at Alberhill and at points down the 
valley of Temescal Wash toward Corona, furnish additional evidence 
of faulting, and probably, through their lack Of resistance to erosional 
processes as compared with the harder rocks on each side, have been 
instrumental in determining the position and form of the basin. 

The mountains on the western side of the lake basin and most of 
the hiUs on its eastern side are composed of ancient . granitic and 
schistose rocks. To the north is an area of hills composed of clays 
and coarser sediments that are of Tertiary age. (See PL III, in 
pocket.) Thin beds of lignitic coal in this series were at one time 
worked near Alberhill, and the clay beds near Terra Cotta have been 
worked intermittently for pottery for many years. In 1915 a test 
weU for oil was put down in the hills a mile east of Lucerne. The 
following approximate record of the material penetrated by this 
well was kindly furnished by Mr. Charles Hudson, of Elsinore. 

Log of oil test well east of Lucerne, 




In the southeastern part of the lake basin (shown in PI. XIII, B) the 
higher valley lands and the low, rolling hills along the southwestern 
side are covered by coarse gravels and gravel mixed with clay. These 
sedimentary materials resemble some of the coarser deposits near 
Alberhill, but no workable clay deposits have been found in the 
southern part of the basin. The deposits to the north and to the 
south of the lake were probably formed at different periods. Fossil 
plants collected from the Alberhill beds by Dr. Stephen Bowers have 
been identified by F. H. Knowlton to be of Eocene age, and they are 
probably contemporaneous with part of the beds of the Badlands 
north and east of Moreno ; whereas the gravels in the southern end 
of Elsinore Lake basin are probably of Quaternary age and contem- 
poraneous with the gravels east and southeast of San Jacinto. 



V. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 




Tern ecu I a 
Canyon 



riwrsMiB " " -r "»■ _i»r-JB t.**' 



S^?^, 



ATER-SUPPLY PAPER 429 PLATE XIU 




A. VALLEY or TEMECULA RIVER. 




B. SOUTHERN PART OF ELSINORE LAKE BASIN; FROM SLOPES NORTHEAST OF WILDOMAR. 



ELSINOBE LAKE AREA. 71 

FroBi tlie hills of ciystalline rocks that border most of the lake 
ba; in bench lands of reddish compact clay and gravel extend down 
to tLe lowlands, which are in most places covered by the more recent 
grh els and alluvial material of the present-day stream channels. 

SURFACE WATER. 

IV nore Lake is a brackish water body 4 or 5 miles long and 2 miles 
wici' at the east base of Elsinore Mountains. During normal stages 
it h 3 no outflow and fluctuates only 4 or 5 feet in height during the 
year ; but a few times since the settlement of the region it has over- 
flowed through a channel on its eastern side through the city of 
Elsinore and down Temescal Wash to Santa Ana River. 

The foUowmg history of Elsinore Lake is abstracted from an 
accoi-iT^t written in 1916, by Francis R. Schanck, assistant inspector 
of irr ation, United States Indian Service, Los Angeles, Cal. : 

The Uest specific reference to the amount of water in Lake Elsinore is apparently 
conta. in the notes of a traveler who passed through southern California about 
1810 rho mentions "Laguna Grande " — the original Mexican name for the lake — 

as ' ittle more than a swamp about a mile long. Between that time and 1862 

jn concerning its rise and fall is meager, but in that year it was very high 
bly overflowed. During the succeeding diy period, especially during the 
') and 1867, when practically no rain fell on the drainage area tributary to 
it receded very rapidly, but in 1872 it was again full and overflowed down 
ics through Temescal Canyon. After this date evaporation reduced it to a 

level I oably as low as it has ever been since, but the great rains of the winter of 
1883-8 .died it to overflowing in three weeks. Americans who had by this time 
settled t lund it say that the low- water shore line was surrounded by willow trees so 
large th .t they must have been at least 30 years old. In the next 10 years rainfall 
was excessive and the lake stayed high, overflowing naturally during three or four 
years of 'his decade, and having been purchased by the Temescal Water Co. for the 
irrigatioi of lands at Corona, Cal., its outlet channel was deepened, permitting gravity 
flow to Corona for a year or more after the lake level had sunk below the grade of 
its outlet. As the surface still receded a pumping plant was installed and water was 
raised a maximum of about 10 feet, then flowing down the natural channel of Temescal 
Can J/ on. Pumping was continued a couple of seasons, but the concentration of salts 
in the lake, due to the evaporation and to low rainfall soon unfitted the water for 
irrigation. After 1893 the water level sunk almost continuously for nearly 10 yeai-s, 
rising, of coijrse, slightly every winter. The years of heavier precipitation beginning 
in 1903 gradually filled the lake about half the depth between its minimum level since 
1883 and its high level or overflow point, which was again reached in 1916. 

The fact that large trees were growing at an elevation of 20 feet or more below the 
high-water level when the lake filled in 1883-84, indicates that the high water of the 
sixties and 'leventies must have been of very short duration. The stumps of the 
trees were ctill visible in 1888 and 1889 many hundred feet from shore, but by the 
time the lake receded in the middle nineties these trunks had disajjpeared. 

The rise that took place in the spring of 1916 was the greatest 
within recent years, although the run-off from its drainage area into 
the lake appears to have been considerably less than that of the wet 
years of 1883-84 and 1888-89. Owing to the unusually heavy rains 
of January and February, 1916, the lake rose rapidly, submerged 
extensive lowlands to the south and southeast, and overflowed down 
Temescal Wash. The daily record of the height of the lake surface, 



72 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 



as obtained from a gage established in tlie lake by the United States 
Geological Survey in December, 1915, is given in the following table. 
The highest level, reached in the last part of March, 1916, was 20.4 
feet above the lake level in December, 1915, and to the end of 1916 
the water had receded only 5.4 feet. 

Elevation of surface of Elsinore Lake, in feet, above sea level, from Dec. 1, 1915, to Dec. 

31, 1916. 



Day. 


Dec. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


1 


1, 245. 2 


i,'245.'4 


(a) 


1. 264. 5 
1, 264. 6 

1. 264. fi 
1,264.7 
1,264.8 

1,204.9 
1,265.0 

1. 265. 1 

1. 205. 2 
1,265.2 

1,265.3 

1. 265. 3 
1, 265. 3 
1, 265. 3 
1, 265. 3 

1,265.3 
1, 265. 3 
1,265.3 
1, 205. 3 

1. 265. 6 

1,265.6 
1, 265. 6 
1,265.6 

1. 265. 6 
1, 265. 6 

1, 265. 6 
1, 265. 6 
1, 265. 6 
1, 265. 6 
1,265.6 
1, 265. 6 


i'265."6 
1, 265. 6 
1, 265. 5 
1,265.5 

1,265.5 
1, 265. 4 
1, 265. 3 
1,26.5.3 


1,264.5 
1, 264. 5 
1, 264. 5 
1, 264. 4 
1,264.4 

1,264.3 

i,'264.'2 
1.264.2 


i,"263.'4 
1, 284. 4 
1,263.3 
1,263.3 

1, 263. 3 
1, 263. 2 
1, 203. 2 
1,263.2 
1, 263. 2 
1,263.2 

i,"263."i 


1, 262. 6 
1, 262. 5 
1, 262. 5 
, 1262. 5 
1,262.5 
1,262.4 

i,'262.'4 
1, 202. 4 
1,262.4 

1,262.3 


1,261.7 


1, 261. 2 


1,260.6 






2 


1, 260. 4 


1, 260. 


3 




1, 261. 6 






4 


1, 245. 2 










1, 260. 4 


1,260.0 


5 


1,246.4 




1,261.6 


1,261.0 




6 


1, 245. 2 


1,260.6 






7 






1, 261. 6 


1,261.0 






8 




1,245.4 
1, 245. 4 
1,245.4 

1,245.4 
1, 245. 4 
1, 245. 4 
1, 245. 4 
1,245.4 

1, 245. 4 
1, 240. 7 

1. 247. 2 

1. 248. 2 
1,250.2 

1,251.2 
1, 252. 2 
1, 252. 7 
1, 252. 9 
1, 253. 2 

1,254.0 
6],2.')4.5 
61,255.5 
1,257.5 


i,'263.'4 
1, 263. 5 
1, 263. 6 

1,263.7 
1,263.8 
1,263.8 
1, 2&3. 9 
1, 264. 

1, 264. 

1. 264. 2 
1, 264. 2 

1. 264. 3 
1, 264. 3 

1,264.4 
1, 264. 3 
1, 204. 3 
1, 264. 4 




1, 260. 4 


i,'266.'0 


9 




1,201.5 
1,261.5 






10 




1,265.31 264.2 


1,261.0 


1,260.6 




11 


1,245.2 


1,265.3 
i,'265.'3 

i,'265.'2 

1,265.2 
1,265.1 
1, 20.5. 1 
1, 265. 1 
1,265.0 

1,265.0 
1,265.0 
1, 264. 8 
1, 264. 7 
1,264.7 


1, 264. 1 
1, 264. 1 
1,264.1 
1, 264. 

1,263.9 

i,'203.'8 

1,263.8 
i,'263.'6 
i,'203.'6 


1,260.2 


i,'266.'6 


12 


1, 262. 


1,261.4 


13 


1, 245. 2 




1, 260. 6 




14 




1, 261. 4 
1,261.4 






, 


15 




1,263.0 

1,263.0 
1, 262. 9 
1,262.9 
1, 202. 
1,262.9 


1, 262. 
i,"262.'6 


1,260.8 






1,260.0 


16 








1, 260. 2 


17 


1, 245. 2 




1, 260. 7 


IS 




i, 260. 8 


1, 260. 2 


i, 260. 6 ' 


19 




i,"262.'6 


1, 261. 3 




20 


1, 245. 2 




1, 260. 6 


1,260.2 




21 


1, 261. 3 
i,26i.'3 






22 




1, 262. 8 
1,262.8 
1, 262. 8 


1, 261. 9 
i,"26i.'8 


1, 260. 8 






1, 260. 


23 










24 


1, 254. 2 








1, 260. 




25 


1,261.3 


1, 260. 8 


1, 260. 4 
1, 200. 4 


1,260.0 


26 




1.262.7 
i: 262. 7 
1,262.7 
1, 262. 6 
1, 262. 






27 




1, 264. 6 
1, 204. 7 
1,264.6 


i, 263. 6 
1, 263. 5 

i,'263."5 
1,263.4 


1, 261. 8 
i,'26i'8 




1,260.0 




28 




1,261.2 


i,'266.'6 


1, 260. 4 




29 






1, 260. 2 


30 










31 


1, 245. 3 

































a Temporary gage under water Feb. 1-12. 



6 Probably windy. 



The outlines of the lake in December, 1915, and in March, 1916, 
are shown in Plate III (in pocket). Observations to determine dis- 
charge into the lake by San Jacinto River were made on a gage es- 
tablished at the mouth of Railroad Canyon, and a gage was estab- 
lished on Temescal Creek at Elsinore. Both inflowing and outflowing 
streams were measured with a current meter. The resiilts of the cur- 
rent-meter measurements, the determinations of daily and monthly 
discharge into the lake during 1916, and the stages observed at the 
gage on Temescal Creek are given in the following tables: 





Discharge measurements of San Jacinto River near Elsinore. 






Date. 


Made by— 


Ga?e 
height. 


Dis- 
charge. 


Date. 


Made by— 


Gage 
height. 


Dis- 
charge. 


1916. 
Jan 25 


F C Ebert 


Feet. 
10.4 
10.32 
3.40 
2.97 
3.30 
3.20 
2.74 


Sec. ft. 
680 
651 
a 376 
236 
349 
324 
180 


1916. 
Apr. 10 

28 
May 6 

26 
June 9 
July 9 


F.C. Ebert 


Feet. 
2.37 
1.83 
1.42 
1. 38 
1.06 
.96 


Sec. ft. 
115.00 


26 

Feb. 13 

24 


do 

do 

do 


do 

do 

McGlashan and Ebert. . 
F. C. Ebert 


32.00 
9.30 
5.40 


Mar. 9 
10 
21 


McGlashan and Ebort . . 

do 

F.C. Ebert 


b.30 


do 


6.05 









a New gage installed Feb. 13, 1916. 



b Estimated. 



ELSINOBE LAKE AREA. 



73 



Daily gage height, in feet, of San Jacinto River near Elsinore, Cal., January to Septem- 
ber, 1916. 



Day. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


1 


7.35 

7.35 
7.35 
7.35 
7.35 

7.35 
7.35 
7.35 
7.42 
7.42 

7.42 
7.35 
7.35 
7.35 
7.35 

7.35 
10.5 
10.7 
12.0 
16.0 

12.0 
11.0 
10.2 
10.4 
10.5 

10.2 
11.0 
19.0 
16.0 
12.0 
13.8 


12.0 
11.5 
13.5 
13.8 
13.5 
14.0 
14.0 
14.0 
14.0 
14.2 

14.5 

14.9 

o3.4 

3.3 

3.3 

3.2 
3.2 
3.1 
3.0 
3.0 

3.0 
3.0 
3.0 
2.9 
2.9 

2.9 
3.0 
3.0 
3.0 


3..2 
3.3 
3.3 
3.3 
3.3 

3.2 
3.3 
8.5 
3.3 
3.2 

3.1 
3.0 
3.0 
2.9 
2.9 
2.8 
2.8 
2.7 
2.6 
2.65 

2.7 

2.8 
3.0 
3.0 
3.3 

3.25 
3.2 

""z.h" 

2.9 

2.8 


■■■2.'75' 
2.6 
2.6 
2.6 

2.55 

2.55 

2.6 

2.4 

2.35 

2.32 

2.32 

2.3 

2.32 

2.31 

""2.25' 
2.2 
2.05 

2.1 
2.0 

"■'i.'ge' 

""i.'79' 
1.83 


1.68 
1.55 
1.43 
1.43 
1.43 
1.45 

"■i."42' 
1.42 
1.40 
1.44 
1.46 
1.45 
1.41 
1.42 

1.42 
1.41 

"'i.'io' 

1.38 
1.37 


1.20 
1.19 
1.18 
1.15 
1.10 

1.08 
1.08 
1.07 
1.06 
1.04 

"'"i.'os" 

1.02 
.98 
.98 

.98 
.98 
.98 
.98 
.98 

.99 


0.94 
.94 
.94 
.95 
.96 

.96 
.96 
.96 
.96 
.98 

.98 
1.00 
1.02 
1.04 
1.04 

'""i."62" 






2 






3 


0.55 




4 




5 






6 






7 


"".'66' 

.52 


1 16 


8 . . 




9 




10 




11 . . . . 


1.30 




12 




13 




1.17 


14 




15 ... 








1.48 




17 




18 






19 


1.02 
.98 

"■".'98' 


1.40 


i.ii 


20 




21 


1.28 




22 




23 


1.38 
1.38 
1.36 

1.38 
1.34 
1.32 
1.30 
1.25 


1.00 

1.00 

.94 

.94 
.96 
.96 
.94 
.94 






24 


.96 
.96 

.94 






25 


1.32 
1.24 




26 . 


1.14 


27... 




28 


.92 
.91 
.91 
.90 






29 .. 






30 


1.20 




31 


















a New gage installed Feb. 13, 1916. 

Daily discharge, in second-feet, of San Jacinto River near Elsinore, Cal. 

tember 30, 1916. 



Jan. 1 to Sep- 



Cay. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


1 


2 

2 
2 
2 

2 

2 
2 
2 
3 
3 

3 
2 
2 
2 
2 

2 

730 

830 

1,7.50 

6,800 

1,750 

1,010 

580 

680 

730 

580 
1,010 
14,000 
6,800 
1,750 
1,350 


1,170 

1,120 

860 

950 

840 

810 
730 
660 
640 
570 

510 
430 
387 
350 
350 

315 
315 

282 
251 
251 

251 
251 
251 
223 
223 

223 
251 
251 
251 


315 
350 
350 
350 
350 

315 
350 
425 
350 
315 

282 
251 
251 
223 
223 

195 
195 
169 
146 
158 

169 
195 
251 
251 
350 
332 
315 
283 
251 
223 
195 


188 
182 
146 
146 
146 

136 
136 
146 
108 
99 

94 
94 
90 
94 
92 

87 
82 
74 
54 
57 

60 
48 
46 
44 
39 

34 
29 
32 
28 
25 


21 

14 
8 
8 

8 

9 

8.5 

8 

8 

7 

8.5 
9.5 
9 
7.5 

8 

8 

7.5 

7 

7 

6.5 

6 

6 

6.5 

6.5 

6 

6.5 

5 

4.6 

4.0 

2.8 

2.2 


1.6 
1.5 
1.4 
1.0 

.5 

.4 
.4 
.4 
.4 
.3 

.3 
.3 
.3 
.2 
.2 

.2 
.2 
.2 
.2 
.2 

.2 
.2 
.2 
.2 
.1 


0.1 
.1 

'.2 

.2 
.2 
.3 
.3 
.3 

.3 
.3 
.3 
.3 
.2 

.2 
.2 
.2 
.1 
.1 
.1 
.1 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 


0.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 

.0 
.0 
.0 
.0 
2. 

4 
5 
6 
8 
9 

10 
9 
8 
7 
5 

3.5 
3.8 
4.0 
4.3 
4.6 

2.6 
2.4 
2.1 
1.8 
1.6 
1.6 


1.5 


2 . 


1.5 


3 


1.4 


4 , 


1.4 


5 


1.3 


6 


1.3 




1.2 


8 


1.2 


9 


1.2 


10 


1.2 


11 


1.3 


12 


1.3 


13 


1.3 


14. 


1.3 


15 


1.2 


16 


1.1 


17 


1.0 


18 


.9 


19 


.9 


20 


.9 


21 


.9 


22 


.9 


23 


.9 


24 


.9 


25 


.9 


26 


.9 


27 


.9 


28 


.9 


29 


.9 


30 


.9 


31 









Note —Discharge estimated Jan. 30 to Feb. 12, on account of backwater from Elsinore Lake. Discharge 
interpolated when gage was not read, as follows: Mar. 28; Apr. 1, 16, 20, 23, 25-26, 29-30; May 7, 18, 22,31, 
June 11, 22; July 16, 18, 21, 23, 27; Aug. 1-2, 4-7, 10, 12-15, 17-18, 20, 22-24, 27-29, 31; Sept. 1-6, 8-12, 14-18; 
20-25, 27-30. 



74 GROUND WATEE IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 
Monthly discharge of San Jacinto Rivernear Elsinore, Cal., January to September, 1916. 



Month. 


Discharge ui second-feet. 


Eun-ofl 
(total in 
acre-feet). 


Maximum. 


Minimum. Mean. 




14, 000 
1,170 
425 
188 
21 
1.6 
.3 
10 
1.5 


2 

223 

146 

25 


1,300 
482 
270 
87.9 


79, 900 


February .. 


27,700 




16,600 


\pril 


5,230 


Mav 


2.2 7.55 
.1 .39 
.0 .15 
.0 3.40 
.9 1.11 


464 




23 


July 


9 




209 




66 






The period ■ 








130,000 













Discharge measurements of Temescal Creek near Elsinore, Cal. 



Date. 


Made by— 


Gage 
height. 


Dis- 
charge. 


Date. 


Made by— 


Gage 
height. 


Dis- 
charge. 


1916. 
Feb. 13 


F.C.Ebert 


Feet. 


Sec.-ft. 

■18 
71 
143 
179 
a 170 
126 
99 


1916. 
May 28 
Juiie 9 
July 11 
20 
Aug. 10 
Dec. 7 


McGlashan and Ebert.. 
F. C. Ebert 


Feet. 

0.99 
.75 
.29 

1.19 
.81 
.79 


Sec.-ft. 
52 


24 


.. do 




42 


Mar. 9 


do 





do 


20 


22 


do 




do 


b 16 


Apr. 10 
28 


Ebert and Post 

F C Ebert 


2.90 
2.31 
1.82 


do 

do 


3.2 

2.4 


May 6 


do 





a Gage installed. b Gage lowered 1.0 foot July 12, 1916. 

Daily gage height, infect, of Temescal Creek near Elsinore, Cal., for 1916. 



DAT. 


April. 


May. 


June. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


1 




2.05 
2.04 
2.03 
1.94 
1.90 

1.86 


0.84 
.83 
.82 
.80 

.78 

.76 
.76 
.75 
.74 
.72 

.70 

.68 
.68 
.68 
.66 

.64 
.62 
.58 
.56 
.54 

.52 










0.84 
.84 
.90 
.90 

.92 
.92 
.86 
.86 


0.82 


2 




0.33 
.30 
.32 
.32 

.32 
.30 
.38 

■■■■.so' 

.29 
a 1.28 
1.28 
1.24 
1.23 

"'"i."22' 
1.23 
1.23 
1.22 

1.19 
1.18 

"i.'iY 

1.16 

1.16 
1.12 

""i.'io" 


1.02 

1.00 

.97 

.94 

.88 

'.'83" 
.81 


0.45 

'"".'se' 

56 

.56 
.50 

.48 
.48 


0.58 
.58 
.58 
.58 

"".'se' 

"""."ss" 

.58 


.82 


3 







4 




.84 


5 




.84 


6 




.84 


7 




.79 


8 




1.56 
1.54 
1.53 

1.57 
1.42 
1.38 
1.36 
1.32 


.78 


9 




.78 


10 


2.90 




11 


.84 

"".'se' 

.90 

.90 
.90 
.92 
.93 
.90 

.92 
.92 
.88 
.88 
.88 

"".'84' 
.84 
.80 
.86 


.76 


12 


2.88 

. 2.78 

2.78 

2.78 


.76 
"".'72' 

"'"."68' 
.67 
.66 
.62 
.85 

"".'54' 
.53 
.52 
.52 

.52 
.50 
.50 

.48 
.48 
.48 


.50 
.50 
.50 
.52 

.52 

""."54' 
.52 
.53 

.53 
.53 
.52 

"".'54' 

.54 
.54 

"".'.54" 
.54 


.58 
.59 
.60 

.60 
.60 
.00 
.62 
.63 

.64 

""."84' 
.88 
.90 

.98 
.98 
.96 

".'94' 
.94 


.76 


13 


.76 


14 


.76 


15 


.76 


16 


.76 


17 


2.66 
2.63 
2.60 
2.58 

2.54 
2.49 
2.50 
2.46 
2.44 

2.42 
2.32 
2.31 
2.30 


1.28 
1.20 

"'i.ie' 

1.14 




18 


.74 


19 


.74 


20 


.72 


21 


.72 


22 


.68 


23 


1.05 
1.02 

1.00 
1.00 
.95 
.92 
.90 
.85 


.50 
.48 

.44 

.42 
.40 
.38 
.36 


.66 


24 




25 


.63 


26 


.50 


27 


.48 


28 


.48 


29 


.48 


.30 


.48 


31 























a Gage lowered 1 foot July 12. 



ELSINORE LAKE AREA. 75 

HOT SPRINGS. 

Many small hot springs formerly issued in the lowland along the 
lake outlet through the city of Elsinore. In the early nineties, when 
a canal was cut past the springs and the lake water was taken north- 
ward to irrigate citrus groves near Corona, it is said that most of the 
springs ceased to flow, but hot sulphureted water is still obtained 
from shallow wells. In 1888 a large bath house was built near the 
railroad depot; and in 1915 these baths, known as Elsinore Hot 
Springs, were still supphed by water pumped from three wells that 
were formerly springs. An analysis of water from the principal well 
at this resort (No. 146, PL III, in pocket) is given in the table 
opposite page 78. 

Bundy's Elsinore Hot Spring is another resort near Elsinore depot 
where a shallow weU supphes warm sulphureted water for drinking 
and bathing and a hotel and several cottages provide accommoda- 
tions for guests. An analysis of this water is tabulated opposite 
page 78. 

The analyses of the waters from Bundy's and Elsinore hot springs 
show that they are very similar in concentration and properties. 
They are soft' waters, with sodimn as the principal element among 
the bases. Of the acid radicles bicarbonate predominates in Bundy's 
and chloride in the Elsinore water. In the northern part of Elsinore 
water that is probably similar in origin and chemical character to 
that of the hot springs is obtained from wells at the municipal 
pumping plant. 

GROTIHD-WATEH. LEVEL. 

In the lowlands bordering the lake the ground-water level was in 
1915 within 20 feet of the surface; beneath the rolhng lands in the- 
southeastern part of the basin the depth to water, so far as shown 
by wells, was 40 to 60 feet or more ; and at the northwest end, beneath 
the wide alluvial slope that rises from the lake to the mountain slopes, 
the depth to water increased to fully 100 feet in the uppermost wells 
that had been sunk. The depth to water apparently increased only 
about two-thirds as fast- as the land surface rose, however, for the 
wells which obtained water at a depth of 100 feet were about 150 
feet above the level of the lake. 

A well belonging to Mr. O. Bentson (No. 142 on PI. Ill, in 
pocket), drilled about 1912 near the northwestern side of the lake, 
obtained a small artesian flow and in November, 1915, yielded a flow 
of perhaps a gallon a minute. The artesian pressure is probably only 
local, as neighboring weUs have not obtained flows. The head seems 
to be due to the character of the alluvial deposits at the base of the 
mountain slope, as illustrated in figure 2 (p. 21). The log of the 
well is as follows : 



76 GROUND WATEE. IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 



Log ofjlowing artesian well near northwest end of Elsinore Lake. 
[O. Bentson, owner, 1915.] 



Soil and clay 

Sand 

Clay with hard, cemented sand 

Sand 

Clay with hard, cemented sand 

Sand 

Clay with cemented sand 

Sand 

Clay with cemented sand .■. . 

Sand 

Clay 

Sand 

Clay 

Sand 

Clay 



Thickness. 


Depth. 


Feet. 


Feet 




30 




30 


2 




32 


28 




60 


4 




64 


41 




105 


18 




123 


14 




137 


23 




160 


5 




165 


12 




177 


10 




187 


12 




199 


11 




210 


7 




217 


37 




254 



No extensive records of the fluctuation of the ground-water level 
in the Elsinore Lake area have been kept. Comparison of measure- 
ments of the water level in ntimerous wells in March, 1904, and again 
in November, 1915, indicates that near the lake the general water 
level has risen 3 or 4 feet, whereas farther up the slopes it has low- 
ered a somewhat greater amoimt. This change is shown by the 
relative positions in Plate III (in pocket) of the lines showing depths 
to water of 20 and 40 feet in 1904 and in 1915. This lowering of the 
water level beneath the higher slopes and the rise near the lake 
would seem to be due chiefly to' the operation during the last few 
years of several large pumping plants on the higher slopes. The 
pumping of water from beneath the higher lands for the irrigation 
of crops on the lower lands would tend to produce the effect noted, 
both by removal of water from beneath the higher lands and by the 
rise in the water level beneath the lower, irrigated lands. The 
change can not have been due to the wet winters of 1913-14 and 
1914-15; for a change in water level due wholly to increased rainfall 
should have resulted in a rise in the water level beneath the higher 
slopes as well as beneath the lower lands. In the southeastern end 
of the basin the water level was in 1915 notably nearer the surface 
than in 1904, a condition which in this locality appears to be satis- 
factorily accoimted for by the fact that the rainfall during the winter 
of 1903-4 was below the average, whereas that in the two winters 
preceding the measurements of 1915 was considerably above the 
average. 

IRRIGATIOlSr. 

Irrigation by ground water has been carried on for a nimiber of 
years on the gentle slopes at the northwestern end of Elsinore Lake. 
In 1904 about 200 acres of orchard and field were supplied with water 
by five pumping plants; in 1915 there were 17 pumping plants, 
ranging in capacity from small motor-driven pumps of 5 or 10 inch 



ELSINOEE LAKE AEEA. 77 

discharge to large motor-driven or distillate-driven pumps throwing 
60 inches or more, and about 600 acres, planted largely to deciduous 
fruit trees, was under irrigation. Several of the newer tracts in the 
lowland were planted to alfalfa, and at the base of Elsinore Moim- 
tains a large citrus grove had been set out. 

The ground-water supply in the Lucerne district is derived from 
a drainage area comprising only about 11 square miles lying above 
the irrigated lands, and the total quantity of water that can be 
continuously drawn upon is therefore limited to about the an- 
nual supply to the ground water from this drainage area, most 
of which forms the steep slopes to the west. The run-off from these 
steep slopes is probably 50 per cent or more of the rainfall; but by 
far the greater part of this run-off presumably sinks into the deep 
gravel deposits above the irrigated tracts, for no well-defined drain- 
age channels extend across the alluvial slopes to the lake. 

Careful studies of the local conditions would be necessary for an 
accurate determination of the average annual addition to the ground 
water of this district, and estimates based on assumptions as to the 
amounts of percolation and of recoverable ground water are subject 
to large errors. If, however, 30 per cent of a rainfall of 15 inches on 
the entire tributary area of 11 square miles is supplied annually to 
the groimd water and is recoverable by pumps, 2,650 acre-feet would 
be available. If 3 acre-feet annually is essential for the proper 
irrigation of an acre, the present irrigated area of 600 acres of alfalfa 
and orchard requires 1,800 acre-feet, or two-thirds as much water as 
the small ground-water supply may be capable of furnishing without 
seriously lowering the water level. 

The results obtained by a test well sunk for oil in the clays and 
gravels in the hills east of Lucerne appear to demonstrate that these 
sediments do not contain extensive water-bearing beds. Several 
deep wells sunk near the lake border are said to have failed to obtain 
good supphes, as the material beneath the lake seems to consist 
chiefly of clay and fine sand that render percolation into wells, even 
from the lake itself, very slight. 

Along the western side of Elsinore Lake there are many small 
orchards of deciduous fruit trees, for the climate at the base of the 
mountains has been found to be favorable to the production of fruit 
without irrigation. Within the last few years several groves of 
citrus trees have been planted on these western slopes, and water 
for their irrigation has been obtained from wells and from tunnels 
driven into the ravines. Deposits of coarse gravel and talus at the 
base of the steeper slopes favor the storage of ground water, but the 
tributary area extends only a little over a mile to the crest of the 
range, and the total quantity of water available from any tamnel 
or well is limited to the amount supphed by percolation from the 
small area drained by tributary ravines. 



78 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECTJLA BASINS, CAL. 

Two 'or three years prior to the exceptioriial rise in. the surface of 
Elstnore Lake ia 1916, the lowland at the southeastern end of the 
lake was planted to aKalfa, and several large pumpiag plants were 
installed for irrigation. Ground water was found at a depth of only 
•a few feet, and large supplies were drawn from the deeper, sandy 
layers of the alluvial and lacustriae deposits. The submergence of 
these lands by the rise of the lake early in 1916 destroyed the planted 
fields. Although these lands are somewhat alkaUne it is probable 
that they will be again reclaimed when the lake has subsided, but 
plans for that reclamation should include deepening the outlet 
channel of the lake through the city of Elsinore so as to prevent 
recurrence of the abnormally high stages in the lake. 

QTTALITY OF WATER. 

Samples of water from eight weUs and two springs in the basin 
and two samples from the lake itself were coUeoted for analysis in 
order to determine the general suitabUity of the waters for irrigation. 
The results of the chemical examinations are given in the table 
opposite. 

The analytical results show that on the whole the waters are good 
for domestic use and for irrigation, but owing to their rather high 
content of scale-forming ingi-edients, their quality for use in boilers, 
a purpose to which they are not apt to be extensively put, however, 
ranges from fair to very bad. The sample of water from Elsinore 
Lake collected in July, 1916, contained only 1,298 parts per million 
of total sohds, as compared with 3,200 parts in a sample collected 
at the same place in November, 1915, before the rise of the lake. 

ALKALI. 

The laboratory assay, tabulated opposite, of a sample of water 
taken from Elsinore Lake in November, 1915, shows that at that 
time it was too alkaline for use in irrigation under ordinary con- 
ditions. Diu-ing the nineties water from the lake was used for 
several years on citrus groves near Corona and seriously injiu-ed the 
trees, demonstrating that it was not fit for use in the irrigation of 
orange trees.^ The analysis of lake water collected July 30, 1916, 
shows that the unusually large amount of flood water received by 
the lake in that year freshened it considerably, but a number of 
such dilutions would probably be required to render the water safe 
for use on most crops. 

Although the lake water is too alkaline for safe use in irrigation, 
no serious evidences of alkaline soil were observed in the area, and in 
1915 alfalfa that was planted near the margin of the lake appeared 

1 The increase in alkalinity of lands on which this water was used is described by E. W. Hilgard in U. S. 
Dept. Agr. Beport ol irrigation investigations for 1901, p. 144, 1902. 



Mineral analyses ajid classiftcation of waters in ilie Elsinore Lake and Tcmesral c 
I Parts por million except as otherwise designated. S. C. Duismoro, analyst. 1 





Location. 


Date of 
collection. 


Owner. 


Depth 

to water 

Nov., 1915 

(feet). 


Use. 


Dclcrmlnud quantlUcs. Computed quanmics.i. cliVssinoaUon.l 


m 

num- 
ber." 


Silica 
(SiO:). 


Iron 
(Fc). 


Calcium 
(Ca). 


MoEue- 

siiim 
(Mg). 


Sodium 
and |>o- 
tas-sinra 
(Na+IC).. 


Carbon- 
ate 
radicle 
(COj). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
radicle 
(HCO,). 


Sulphate 
radicle 
(SOi). 


Chloride 
radicle 
(CI). 


Nitrate 
radicle 
(NO,). 


Total 
solids at 
ISO'C. 


Total 
hard- 

CaCOi. 


Scale- 
forming 
Ingre- 
dionts. 


Foam- 
ing in- 
gredi- 
ents. 


Alkali 
coeffi- 
cient 
(inches). 


Mineral 
content. 


Chemical 
character. 


Prob- 
ability 
of cor- 
rosion.d 


Quality 
for do- 
mestic 


Quality 

for 
boiler 


Quality 
for irriga- 
tion. 


142 


Elsinore Lake area: 

Drilled well, 3 miles soul h west of 

Elsinore. 
Drilled well, 2i miles west of 

Elsinoro. 

Bundy's Elsinore Hot Spring 

Elsinore Hoi Springs 


Dec, 1915 

do 

July. 1916 




Flows. 

15 
4 


Domestic and irriga- 
tion . 
Domestic 


47 

37 

OS 
78 
12 
43 

09 


0.10 

.75 

.10 
Tr. 
1.5 
.20 

2.2 


78 

04 

0.0 
12 
33 

60 

9.0 


20 

15 

4.1 
1.9 

12 

13 

3.2 


2« 

25 

79 
S3 
433 
61 

GO 


0.0 
.0 

.0 
3S 
31 

.0 

24 


183 

173 

112 
21 

3.".3 
158 

17 


153 

105 

3G 
55 
148 
42 

98 


30 

17 

?? 
409 

10 


7.0 

.0 

.0 
.0 
.0 
11 

.0 


478 

341 

296 

302 

1,298 

374 

319 


302 

222 

32 
38 
132 
178 

38 


320 

250 

90 
120 
130 
210 

100 


70 

OS 

210 

220 

1,200 

160 

ISO 


04 

90 

14 
16 
2.8 
23 

36 


Moderate. . 

...do 

...do 

...do 

Moderotc'.i 
do.... 


Cn-SO,.-.. 

Ca-COj.... 

Na-CO,... 

Na-CI 

...do 

Na-CO,... 

Na-SO,.... 


(J) 

m 

N 
N 
N 
(') 

N 


Fair 

...do 

Good 

...do 

Bad 

Good 

Fair 


Poor 

-..do 

Fair 

...do 

Very bad.. 
Poor 

Fair 


Good. 

Do. 

Fair. 

Do. 

Poor. 

Good. 

Ho. 


W. B. Hohenshell 

Mrs. F. A. Arasbury. 
C.N. Gardner 


H5 


Drinking and bathing. 
Bathing 


It7 


Boating and bathing.. 


Drilled well. V. miles southeast of 

Sl^inorP. 


Dec, 1915 
Julv 1916 


Superior Water Co 


20 



















a Map numbers correspond to numbers of locatio 

b See standards for classification by R. B. Dole and Herman & 
c Calculated, 

)Sive: (?) =corrosion uncertain or doubtful. 



^ssays and classification of vater from wells anil Elsinore Lahc in Ihr Elsin 
[Oollcctcd December. 1915; S. C, Diiismore, analyst. Parts per million except as othi 



; Lair and Temcscal areas. 
'is;6 designiilcd.] 





LocaUon. 


OttTier. 


Depth to 
water. 

Nov., 1915 
(feet). 


Use. 


Determined ciuantifies. 


Computed quantities.'' 






Classiflt^tion.b 






Map 
Iwr.o 


Iron 

(Fe). 


Carbonate 
radicle 
(CO,). 


Bicar- 
bonate 
radicle 
(HCO,). 


Sulphate 
radicle 
(SO,). 


Chloride 
radicle 
<C1). 


Tola! 
hardness 

CaCO,. 


Total 
solids. 


Scaliv 
forming 
ingre- 
dients. 


Foaming 
ingre- 
dients. 


Allaill 
coemcient 
(inches). 


Muieral 
content. 


Chemieul 
character. 


Proba- 
bility 
of cor- 
rosion.o 


Quality 

lor 
domestic 


QuBlity 

lor 
boiler 


Quality 

lor 
irriga- 
tion. 




Elsinore Lalte area: 




62 
lOO 
12 
22 




1.3 
Tr. 
Tr. 
Tr. 
Tr. 
Tr. 

.20 
Tr. 






146 






100 
101 
185 
224 
4O0 
224 

142 
195 


30 
61 
168 
13S 
431 
35 

36 
33 


35 
25 
26 
74 
1,135 
45 

8 
35 


87 
97 
103 
120 
121 
153 

113 
131 


230 

300 
480 
5.iO 
3,200 
350 

220 
300 


120 
130 
130 
160 
l.iO 
180 

140 
160 


110 
180 
350 
100 
3,600 
180 

70 
150 


4ii 
20 
13 
4.0 
.9 
10 

83 
22 


Moderate.. 

...do 

...do 

HiBh 

Very high. 

Moderate.. 

...do 

...do 


Na-CO,-.. 

...do 

Na-SO,.... 
Na-CO,... 

Na-CI 

Na-CO,... 

Ca-CO,.... 
Na-CO,... 


<^ 

N 
N 
N 
N 

N 
N 


Good 

...do 

...do 

Fair 

Unfit 

Good 

...do 

...do 


Fair 

...do 

Dad 

...do 

Very bad.. 

Fair 

...do 

...do 


Good. 


140 






Domestic and irrigation 


Do. 


141 






Fair. 


144 
147 


1 mile north of Elsinore 


.S. A. Stewart 


Irrigation 


Poor. 
Bad. 


14S 






24 

30 
25 




Good. 


IM 


Temescal area: 

1 mile northwest of Temescal 

5 miles northwest ol Elsinore 






Do. 








Do. 











71065°— 19. (To face page 78.) 



" Jtap numbers correspond to numbers of locations on PI. HI, in pocket, 

U See standards for classification by R. B. Dole and Herman Stabler in "Ground water in San Joaquin Valley, Cal.," by Mondenhall, Dole, and Stabler: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-supply Paper 3' 

c N=noncorrostve; (?) = corrosion uncertain or doubtful. 



f. p. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 



ATEft-SUPPLY PAPER 429 PLATE XIV 




A. TEMESCAL WASH AND BENCH LANDS BELOW TEMESCAL. 




£. BENCH LANDS ALONG SOUTHWEST SIDE OF TEMESCAL W ASH BELOW LLE L\KE 



TEMESCAL ABEA. 79 

to be growing well. As good drainage to the lake can be obtained 
from the sun-ovmding cultivable land, any. tendency toward the 
accumulation of alkali after irrigation can probably be successfully 
overcome by proper ditching. 

TEMESCAL AREA. 
LOCATION AND CHABACTEH.. 

Temescal Wash, the natural outlet of Elsinore Lake, extends 
northwestward from the lake to Santa Ana River near Corona. In 
middle stretch, at and below Temescal, the canyon of the wash 
broadens to a vaUey (see PI. XIV, A) with a belt of lowland varying 
from a quarter to a haK mile in width. Along its west side, both 
above and below Temescal, the cultivable area is greatly increased 
by extensive bench lands (see Pl. XIV, B) that extend upward in a 
long, uniform slope to the base of Santa Ana Mountains. Through- 
out its course the wash follows the base of the granitic and schistose 
hills that border it on the east, and a short distance below the junc- 
tion with Cajalco Canyon it enters the deep gorge from which it 
emerges near Corona. 

The bench lands appear to be an early alluvial formation, and 
clays and gravels of a stiU earher period, probably of Eocene and 
Miocene age, are exposed in hills along the wash. At AlberhiU, near 
the upper end of the wash, beds of low-grade coal associated with 
the clays were at one time worked, and the clays themselves have 
long been extensively quarried near Terra Cotta and used in the 
manufacture of tiles and vitrified pipe. Within recent years large 
clay pits have been opened a mile or more west of AlberhiU, and 
deposits farther down the wash, on the slopes north of Dawson 
Canyon, have been extensively prospected for workable grades 
of the. clay. 

Near Temescal a test weU for oil was drilled in 1913 to a reported 
depth of 3,400 feet. It is said that several beds of coarse gravel 
were penetrated in the upper 700 feet, but that below 700 feet the 
material was nearly aU shaly, interbedded with a few sandy layers 
that contained traces of oil. 

HOT SPRINGS. 

About a mile southwest of Temescal hot water issues at the base of 
Santa Ana Mountains, presumably from the fault zone that borders 
these mountains. The principal spring (No. 137 on PI. HI, in pocket), 
which yields about 15 gallons a minute at a temperature of 102° F., 
issues at the mouth of a ravine in which fractiired granitic and por- 
phyritic rocks are exposed. Small spring of warm water issue at 
several other points for half a mile northward, but only the main 
spring is improved. The water is sulphureted and sKghtly alkahne 



80 GEOUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

in taste, but is not unpleasant to drink. Tlie analysis tabulated op- 
posite page 78 shows it to be a sodium-sulpbate water of moderate 
concentration. Both carbonate and bicarbonate are reported by the 
analyst. As in the water from Bundy's and Elsinore hot springs 
siHca is present in proportionately large amount, comprising in the 
water of this spring more than 20 per cent of the total soHds. 

The springs were early known to the settlers, but the property was 
first opened as a resort in 1908. It has been known both as Temescal 
Hot Springs and as Glen Ivy Hot Springs. 

ARTESIAN AREA. 

Near Temescal a number of weUs have been put down by the 
Temescal. Water Co. as a part of the supply for its conduit system. 
Several of these wells flow during the winter when pumping is lessened, 
and weUs flow also in a small area indicated in Plate III (in pocket) . 
The pressure of the ground water is doubtless in large part due to con- 
ditions of interbedded coarse and fine materials, as is illustrated in 
figure 2 (p. 21), but it may be in part produced by the less pervious 
layers of older alluvium which are probably underlain by the Tertiary 
sediments that nearly inclose the flowing-well area. 

GROTTND-WATER LEVEL. 

About 2J miles above Temescal a natural, shallow, tule-grown lake 
known as Lee Lake, was dammed to form a larger reservoir as a part 
of the storage and distribution system of the Temescal Water Co., but 
this dam broke and the lake was emptied during the heavy floods early 
in 1916. Beneath the narrow lowlands along the wash above the lake 
bed water is present at depths of less than 20 feet. Along the more 
sandy parts of the wash for several miles below the lake the depth to 
ground water was m.ore than 40 feet in the fall of 1915, but the excessive 
floods of 1916 probably saturated the sandy lowlands adjacent to the 
wash to within a few feet of the surface. In stretches of its lower 
course Temescal Wash carries water throughout years of normal and 
exceptional rainfall. In the fall of 1915 a small stream was flowing 
in the wash past the mouth of Cajalco Canyon, near the junction of 
which tributary the underflow first appeared at the sm-face. Within 
the area of flowing wells near Temescal the ground-water level was 30 
to 50 feet below the sm-face in November, 1915; on the higher slopes 
to the south and west the depth to ground water rapidly increased to 
more than 100 feet. 

IRRIGATION. 

In the narrow lowland along Temescal Wash above Lee Lake ground 
water has been used in a few places for the irrigation of alfalfa. On 
the north side of the wash, about 2 miles above Lee Lake, 50 or 60 
acres of alfalfa was in 1915 watered by means of a distillate pumping 



TEMECULA BASIN. 81 

plant. Ground water obtained from wells sunk on the slopes nearer 
the lake, on the south side of the wash, had been used for the irrigation 
of deciduous fruit trees on the adjacent slopes. Orchards of both 
citrus and deciduous fruit trees have been planted within the last few 
years northwest of Temescal, on the upper parts of the bench lands, 
near the base of the steep mountain slopes, water for irrigation being 
obtained chiefly by tunnels in the neighboring ravines and by 
small storage reservoirs in the same drainage courses. In the fall of 
1915 citrus trees were being planted in the valley lands and lower 
bench lands west of Temescal Wash and water for these orchards was 
obtained from shallow wells sunk near the wash, from which it was 
pumped to reservoirs. A large quantity of water is annually added 
to the underground supply of the lowlands along the wash by drainage 
from the slopes on each side, and it seems probable that the irrigation 
of citrus trees on the bench lands by pumping plants in the lowlands 
will become more extensive during the next few years. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

Laboratory assays of samples of water from 2 wells (Nos. 136 and 
138) and an analysis of the water from one spring in the Tem.escal 
area were made in connection with the study of the ground-water 
supply in this area, and the results are included in the table op- 
posite page 78. 

Both of the wells yield waters of moderate concentration, good 
for domestic use and for irrigation and fair for use in boilers. The 
water from well 136 is distinctly better for use in irrigating than that 
from well 138, as the former contains less bicarbonate and chloride 
than the latter. 

AT.KALI. 

In the lowland above Lee Lake alkali has collected in a few small 
areas near the wash where the ground water is constantly within 10 
feet of the surface. The excessive amounts of alkali could very 
probably be removed from these few areas by proper drainage, how- 
ever, as the grade is sufficient to permit the washing out of the objec- 
tionable salts. By far the greater part of the cultivable lands in 
this area- consist of the benches, where the ground water is deep, the 
drainage is ample, and there is no danger of the accumulation of 
alkali. 

TEMECULA BASIN. 

GENERAL FEATURES. 

GEOGRAPHY. 

Temecula River drains a large area in the San Jacinto fault block 
south of that drained by San Jacinto River. The outlet of the basin 
is southwestward through Temecula Canyon, across the foothill 
71065°— 19— wsp 429 6 



82 GBOUISrD "WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

region, and through Santa Margarita River to the ocean. In the 
present paper, however, only that part of the basin is considered which 
lies above the head of Temecula Canyon. 

On the north the divides that separate the basin from the drainage 
tributary to San Jacinto River are in most places sharp, but a gap in 
the high land is occupied by Paloma Valley, and in this valley the divide 
is iU defined. On the northwest also the divide between water that 
flows southeast past Murrieta and that which flows in the opposite 
direction to Elsinore Lake is not well defined, but the lowest point of 
the divide is probably in or just west of Wildomar. Southward to 
Temecula Canyon and eastward from that gap the divides that sepa- 
rate the upper tributaries of Temecula River from those that join it 
below the canyon and from tributaries of San Luis Rey River are 
formed by the Santa Rosa Mountains and the rugged granitic slopes 
that culminate in the masses of Agua Tibia Mountain and Aguanga 
Mountain. On the east the TemeciJa basin is separated from drain- 
age lines that trend toward Colorado Desert in part by mountainous 
divides, but in part also by less definite divides in Babtiste, Chihuahua, 
and Dodge valleys. 

The highest points in the basin are Thomas Mountain, 6,823 feet 
above sea level, on the northeastern border, and Palomar Mountain, 
6,126 feet, on the southern. A number of other mountains and 
ridges along the divide on the east attain elevations of more than 
5,000 feet. The eastern part of the basin consists in large part of 
upland valleys, 2,000 to 4,500 feet above sea level, but most of the 
western part is less than 1,500 feet in elevation. 

The higher mountain slopes are covered with pine and the some- 
what lower slopes are partly clothed with oaks, but over most of the 
basin the vegetation consists of brush and scrubby trees. The 
valley lands contain many open areas. 

GEOLOGY. 

In by far the greater part of the Temecula basin the surface is imme- 
diately underlain by ancient crystalline rocks — granites, gneisses, and 
schists. The prevailing type of rock is a coarse-grained gray granite, 
but gneissic rocks are common. Near the northern border a zone 
of mica schist and quartzite, a mile or more in width, which extends 
from the vicinity of the abandoned Goodhope mine southeastward 
and includes Bell Mountain and the abandoned Leon mine, in the San 
Jacinto basin, continues 6 or 8 miles farther southeast, to the vicinity 
of Black Mountain in the Temecula basin. On the western border of 
the basin Santa Rosa Mountains are also composed largely of dark 
fine-grained mica schist which is associated with slates that are 
probably of Triassic age. At Temecula Canyon the material changes 
to coarse-grained gray granite, however, and thence southeastward 



TEMECULA BASIN. 83 

the mountains that form the divide are composed of granitic and 
gneissic rocks. 

Several fiat-topped areas along the crest of the Santa Rosa Range, 
known as mesas or table-lands, are formed by flows of basaltic lava. 
One tongue of lava extends part way down the side of the mountain 
about H miles south of Wildomar, and a similar, larger flow that ex- 
tends down the western side of the divide has been described by 
Fairbanks.^ Volcanic rock is also found about 10 miles east of 
Temecula, at the mouth of Nigger Canyon, where the material con- 
sists of agglomerate tuSs that cover the slopes from the river channel 
to a height of several hundred feet. 

In the lower part of the basia the bedrock of ancient crystaUiae 
material is covered deeply by gravels and sandy clays, which are 
thickest in. the rolling hills north and east of Temectda. These 
clays and gravels were possibly deposited when the outlet through 
Temecula Canyon did not exist and the valley may have been cov- 
ered by a lake. From the present geologic knowledge of the region 
it is not known whether Temecula Canyon has been formed maudy 
by erosion or whether it has become the outlet as a result of earth 
movements that uphfted the probable former outlet by way of 
Temescal Wash to a level shghtly higher than that of the Temecula 
gap. The drainage divide at Wildomar is only 250 feet above the 
head of Temecula Canyon, but the bedrock is probably at a lower 
level beneath the valley at Wildomar than where it is exposed in 
the river channel at the head of the canyon. 

The relation of the sandy clays and gravels to the Tertiary (Eocene 
and Miocene) clays and gravels that form the hills near Terra Cotta 
and Alberhill and are present on the slopes at several places along 
Temescal Wash has not been carefuUy studied. The sedimentary 
beds of the Temecula basin are beheved, however, to have been 
deposited later, probably in Phocene or early Pleistocene time, and 
to be more nearly contemporaneous with the deposits of older allu- 
vium on the slopes east of San Jacinto. Bedding structure is not 
well shown in the deposits of the Temecula basin, but in general they 
seem to form a shallow syncline or trough whose axis corresponds 
approximately to the present valley lowlands. 

Bench lands underlain by materials washed from the adjacent 
hiUs are found along the western side of the valley, between Wddomar 
and Murrieta, and on the eastern side of the vaUey on the higher 
slopes east of WUdomar, A small area of bench land has also been 
formed at the valley side south of Temecula Canyon. 

The small valley areas in the eastern part of the basin seem to be 
underlain in part by material washed from the surrounding hills but 
chiefly by residual material resulting from the disintegration of the 
bedrock. 

I Pairbants, H. W., Geology of San Diego County; also of portions of Orange and San Bernardino 
counties: California State Mineralogist Bleventli Kept., p. 103, 1893. 



84 GROUND WATER IKT SAN JACIXTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

CLIMATE. 

The cijjnate in the Temecula basin is rery similar to that in the 
San Jacinto basin. No records of temperature in the Temecula 
basin are available, but it is probable that the extremes are some- 
what greater at Temecula than at Elsinore, as the summer tem- 
perature at Temecula often exceeds 105°. Hot, dry winds from the 
north, locally known as Santa Ana winds, occasionally sweep through 
Murrieta and Temecula valleys for two or three days at a time and 
are prejudicial to crops and hvestock. In the higher valleys in the 
eastern part of the basm the cUmate is somewhat cooler. The only 
record of precipitation at hand is that of 1914 to 1916 at Aguanga, 
given in the following table, which indicates that the precipitation 
in the Temecula basin is appreciably greater than at San Jacinto. 

Precipitation, in inches, at Aguanga, Riverside County, Cal. 
[Elevation about 2,000 feet.] 



Season. 


July. 


Aug. 


Sept. 


Oct. 


Nov. 


Dec. 


Jan. 


Feb. 


Mar. 


Apr. 


May. 


June. 


Sea- 
sonal. 


Year. 


An- 
nual. 


1914 














5.68 
5.37 
17.85 


3.97 

0.91 

.35 


0.82 
1.57 
1.68 




0.96 

2.20 



- 


0.12 

1.58 




0.18 




20"69' 


1914 
1915 
1916 


15.79 


1914-15„ 
1915-16.. 
1916 






0.04 



T. 
0.04 


0.22 



.08 


0.58 0.99 

.73 

1. 50 . 12 


2.27 
2.31 
2.65 


19.67 
24.31 

























SETTLEMENT AND INDUSTRIES. 

About 150 Temecula Indians, whose tribe once inhabited the low- 
lands of the basin, now form a scattered settlement in the upper part 
of the valley of Penjango Creek, and a small Indian settlement and 
agency school are also established at Coahuila, in the upper part of 
the basin. 

In 1883 the construction of the Southern California Railroad from 
San Bernardino through Murrieta Valley to San Diego gave impetus 
to settlement by whites, and in the lowlands, all of which were con- 
trolled by Spanish grants, towns were established at Wildomar, 
Murrieta, and Temecula. During the winter of 1884 the raih'oad 
through Temecula Canyon was washed out and has not been rebuilt, 
and consequently Temecula has been the terminus of the line south- 
ward from Perris since the first year after construction. In the early 
days of settlement some attempt was made at raising fruit, and the 
towns were fairly active communities, but in recent years attention 
has been given chiefly to dry farming. In 1915, Wildomar had a 
population of about 100, Murrieta 300, and Temecula 200. 

Between Wildomar and Murrieta the cultivable slopes are very 
largely given over to grain raising. Orchards of deciduous trees near 
these villages supply considerable fruit, and groves of olives also 



TEMECULA BASIK. 85 

occupy tracts on the eastern slopes. A number of apiaries on each 
side of the valley produce much honey during years of favorable 
growth of wild flowers. Between Murrieta and Temecula, where the 
valley of Murrieta Creek widens, considerable areas of natural pasture 
land are given over to stock raising. On the east side of the valley, 
on somewhat higher lands bordering Santa Gertrudis Creek, alfalfa 
has been planted within the last few years, water for its irrigation 
being supplied by a pumping plant at the upper end of the field. 

The valley of Temecula Kiver, controlled by the Pauba Rancho, 
has been developed into a great stock range. The higher lands are 
used for grazing and the lowlands are planted with alfalfa for the stock. 
A dairy is also operated in connection with this stock ranch. 

The higher lands in the several small valleys in the eastern part of 
the basin have long been occupied by ranches which produce some 
hay, grain, and fruit, and use the surrounding slopes for grazing a few 
head of cattle and the fields for the establishment of apiaries. During 
1913 to 1916 a number of people took up homesteads in Babtiste 
Valley, with the intention of raising grain. 

SURFACE WATER. 

The western part of the Temecula basin is drained by Mxurieta 
Creek and its tributaries. The main stream heads in the slopes west 
of Murrieta, but the greater part of its drainage basin is east of the 
main valley land. The tributaries of Murrieta Creek as a rule carry 
water only during rainy periods, though the largest tributary, Santa 
Gertrudis Creek, usually has a small amount of water in the lower part 
of its course throughout the year. The channel of the main creek is 
in most places wide and sandy and is bordered by low banks that allow 
flood water to spread over the adjacent lowlands. During the sima- 
mer and fall months the channel is usually dry in this part, but near 
Temecula it is entrenched 10 or 12 feet deep in the valley alluvium and 
has a small perennial flow. On December 1, 1915, the discharge of 
Murrieta Creek just above its junction with Temecula River at the 
head of Temecula Canyon, was 1 second-foot. The discharge of Teme- 
cula River just above its junction with Murrieta Creek on the same 
date was 10.3 second-feet. 

Temecula River drains the eastern part of the basin through 
numerous tributaries. The main stream and its tributaries are, like 
most streams of southern California, intermittent in flow, though 
locally the water rises to the surface and flows in small amount 
throughout the year. About 10 miles above the head of Temecida 
Canyon the river flows through Nigger Canyon, and for 3 or 4 miles 
below this canyon its channel is wide, sandy, and usually dry during 
the summer and fall. In the last 6 miles of its course above Temec- 
ula Canyon the channel becomes narrower and is entrenched a few 
feet in the valley alluvium, and here the stream is perennial. 



86 GROUND WATER IN" SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

Both. Nigger Canyou and the head, of Temecula Canyon have long 
been recognized as feasible dam sites for the storage of water for 
irrigation. A reservoir at the lower site at an elevation of about 
1,000 feet could store water for the irrigation of foothill lands to the 
south, in the neighborhood of Fallbrook, at elevations of 600 to 900 
feet. The Nigger Canyon or Pauba ranch site, at an elevation of 
about 1,250 feet, could store water for the irrigation of lands in the 
Fallbrook region, and, if sufficient water were available, for lands in 
the neighborhood of Rainbow as well as in Murrieta and Temecula 
valleys. The area of the drainage basin above the head of Temecula 
Canyon is 550 square miles and above Nigger Canyon is 320 square 
miles. A large part of the basin, however, consists of gently sloping 
lands from which the run-off is probably slight. Paloma, French, and 
Los Alamos valleys, in the north, and Coahuila, Terwilliger, Chi- 
buahua, and Oakgrove valleys, in the east, comprise such lands from 
which the run-off is doubtless small. 

No systematic record of stream flow in the Temecula basin has 
been undertaken by the Geological Survey, but a record of daily 
gage height on Temecula River three-fourths of a mile above its 
junction with Murrieta Creek was kept during 1906.^ The total 
discharge during the year can not be determined, as the channel 
continually shifted throughout the period of observation. Exami- 
nation of the daily gage-height record together with the current- 
meter measurements of discharge made during the year indicates, 
however, that Temecula River, whose drainage area above the gage 
comprises 345 square miles, can hardly have discharged one-tenth 
as much water as did San Luis Rey River near Pala, about 10 miles 
south of the Temecula River station, during the same year. During 
1906 the San Luis Rey discharged 111,000 acre-feet of water from a 
drainage area of 318 square miles.^ In both 1905 and 1906 the 
precipitation recorded at Elsinore was nearly double the mean annual 
ramfall at that place. During winters of average rainfall neither 
the San Luis Rey nor the Temecula would discharge nearly as much 
water as each did in 1906. 

DESCRIPTION BY AREAS. 

MtrERIETA VALLEY. 

IiOCATIOK AND CHARACTER. 

Murrieta Valley extends approximately from the head of Tem.ecula 
Canyon northwest to Wildomar, a distance of about 12 miles. 
Between Temecula and Murrieta the vaUey is one-haK to three- 
quarters of a mile wide, but above Mui'rieta the lowland is hardly a 

' Clapp, W. B., The surlace water supply of California, 1906: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 213, 
pp. 70-78, 1907. 
2 Idem, p. 76. 



Mineral analyses awl classifiaition o/tralers in tiic Temccula hann. 
[Parts per million exoopt us oOicrwise dcsigoEited. S. ('. Dinsmore, analj-st.] 





Location, 






Depth 

to water 

Nov., 1915 

(feet). 


Use. 


Del crmincd quantities. 


Computed quontllies.i. { Classincation.s 




Map 
Buni- 
ber." 


Dale of 
collection. 


Owner. 


Silica Iron 
(SiO,). (Fe). 


Calcium 
(Ca). 




Sotlium 
and po- 
tassium 
(Na+E)t. 


Carbon- 
ate 
radlclo 
(CO.). 


Bicar- 
bouata 
radicle 
(HCO,). 


Sulnhalo 
radiclo 
(SO.). 


Chloride 
radicle 
(01). 


Nitrate Total 
radicle solidsat 
(NO,). llSO'C. 


Total i Scale- Fonln- 
hard- i forming ing in- 
noss as 1 ingrcd- grcdi- 
eoCo,. , ienls. ems. 

281 310 120 
260 , 270 290 
203 1 270 230 
42 90 640 

96 130 86 

2.-,4 ■ 270 380 
196 220 120 
77 \m 2J0 


Alkali i 

ooom- 1 Mineral 
cicnt ' content, 
(inches). 

24 j Moderate. 

it \^:::::: 

3.8 ...do 


chemical 
diaractor. 


Prob- 
ability 
ofcor- 
roslon.d 


raostic 


Quality 

for 
bollor 
use. 


(Quality 
for irriga- 
tion. 


I"' 


Murrieta Valley: 


Dec, 1916 

...do 

.-do 

July, 1916 


'iiurrieta'school 

iVitz Guentlier 

Auguste Cantarini 


24 
10 

Flows. 

Flows. 

Flows. 

Stream. 

20 

Flows. 


Domestic- 

do 


1 
54 ; 7.5 
29 1 .20 
34 .20 
51 .40 

38 ! .20 

33 ' .40 

37 j .» 
27 ! .20 


73 
(IS 

69 
13 

26 

67 
52 
20 


2-1 
22 
22 
2.4 

7.6 

21 
10 
6.7 


43 
106 

R5 
237 

32 

139 
43 
91 


0.0 273 

.0 273 

.0 1 273 

14 1 19 

.0 102 

9.6 203 
12 los 


HI 
64 
63 
24 

171 
17 

IS 


86 
134 
112 
3oO 

45 
104 


12 407 

12 576 

.0 524 

.0 745 

14 1 234 

1 
.0 OSS 


Ca-COi.... 
NltCO,... 

...do 

NtCl 


1 

(!) 

(!) 
(?) 
N 


Teit 

::t:::::: 

...do 

flood 

Pair. 

Good 

...do 


Poor 

Bod. 

Poor 

Very bod.. 

Fair. 

Bod 

Poor 

Fair 


Good. 
Fair. 


Drilled well at Murrieta 


] ■ I Miirrieta " Hot ' "Springs " (iargMt 

1 n Drilled well 1 mile north of Tcrae- 
cula. 

Temeciilii Valley: 
i:s Tcmociila ili\cr, 2 niilessoiitheast 
r.iT<-mmii;i. 


Drinking and hathing. 


Poor. 


July, 1916 

...do 

Dec, 1915 


do 








34 1 Moderate.. 
12 ...do 

! 


Cd-COi.... 
Na-CO,... 






Drillt'd well! miles oast of Tcme- 
cula. 


Pauba Ranch Co 


Irrigation 


.n 


168 


S3 


3.(1 1 310 


Fair. 



o Map numbers correspond to numbers of localions on PI. III. in pocket, 

6 See standards for classification by R- B. Dole and Herman Stablpr in "Ground water ir 

r Calculated, 

d N=noncorro3ive; (7)=corroslve nncerl^in or doubtlul. 



San Joaquin Valley, C'al.," by Mendenhall, Dole, and Stabler: U. S. Geo!. Survey Wa 



Supply Taper 30S, pp. 50-81, 1910. 



Laboratory assays and classification of water from, wells in ike Tcmecula basiji. 
(Parts per million except ns otherwise designated. S. C. Dinsmoro, analyst.) 





Location. 






Depth to 
water 

Nov., 1915 
(feet). 


Use. 


Determined quantities. 


Computed <pmiilitics 


' 




Class[(lcatlon.^ 


mm- 


Date of 
collection. 


Owner. 


Iron 
(Fe). 


Carbonate 
radicle 
(00,). 


Bicar- 
bouate 
radicle 
(HCO,). 


Sulphate 
radicle 
(SO,). 


Chloride 
radicle 
(Ci). 


Total 
hardness 

CaCO,. 


Total 
solids. 


Scale- 
forming 
iugrorti- 

ents. 


Foaming 
mgrodi- 
ents. 


.Uknii 
cooHicieut 
tinclics). 


Mineral 
content. 


Chemical 
character. 


Vrolia- 
blllty 
of cor- 
rosion. e 


Quality 

for 
domestic 


Quality 

tor 
boiler 
use. 


Quality 

for 
irriga- 
tion. 




Murrieta Valley: 


Nov., 1915 
Dec, 1915 




13 
u 

15 




Tr. 
■rr". 
Tr. 
0.3 








159 
1S5 
117 
254 


37 
36 
33 
36 


258 
ISS 
128 
158 


127 
144 
112 
97 


640 
380 
390 
560 


160 
170 
110 
130 


510 
230 
270 
510 


6.5 
10 
15 

5.4 


Higli 

Moderate.. 

...do 

High 


Na-Cl 


N 


Fair 

Good 

...do 

Fair 


Bad 

Pair 

Itad 

Very bad.. 


Fair. 
Do. 

1)0. 








do 

do 

do 








Na-Cl I (?') 

do ' ^i 






do . 
















oor. 



71055°— 19. (To face page 



n Map numbers correspond to numbers of locations on PI, III, in pocket. 

i- See standards for classification by R. B. Dole and Herman Stabler in "Ground water i 

cN=noncorrosive; (?)=corrosion uncertain or doubtful. 



San Joaquin Valley, Cal.," by Mendenliall, Dole, and Stabler: U. S, Geo!. Survey "Water-Supply Taper 398, pp. 50-81, 1916, 



MUKBIETA VALLEY. 87 

quarter of a mile wide. The lowland adjacent to Murrieta Creek 
is bordered on each side by gentle slopes that rise on the southwest 
to the steep front of Santa Rosa Mountains and on the northeast to 
a wide area of roUing hiUs which are made up of sedimentary deposits 
(See PI. Ill, in pocket.) The lowest lands are devoted chiefly to 
the pasturing of stock and much of the land forming the adjacent 
slopes is also given over to grazing, but large fields are cultivated for 
the dry farming of wheat, oats, and barley. 

HOT SPRINGS. 

About 4 miles east of Murrieta, at Murrieta Hot Springs, near the 
northern border of the older sedimentary deposits, a large flow of hot 
water issues, presumably rising from a fracture or subsidiary fault 
of the great fault zone that borders the southern side of the Temecula 
basin. Three principal springs yield water at temperatures of 134° 
to 136° F., and the total flow is about 75 gallons a minute. An 
analysis of water from one of the springs (No. 154 on PL III, in 
pocket), included in the table facing page 86, indicates that the water 
is essentially a solution of common salt in water that contains carbon 
dioxide and hydrogen sulphide. It is of fair quality for domestic use 
but poor for irrigation or for steam making. 

ARTESIAN AREAS. 

A test well sunk by the town about 1890 near the railroad station at 
Murrieta is said to have obtained a strong artesian flow from a depth 
of 250 to 300 feet. The well was not used, however, and its flow 
gradually lessened, largely no doubt because of the clogging of the 
perforations in the casing. In 1903, during a period of unusually low 
precipitation, the well ceased to flow, and in March, 1904, the water 
stood 2 J feet below the surface. It began to flow again about 1910 
and in the fall of 1915 was still shghtly overflowing the top of the 
casing, 3 feet above the ground. Several other wells were early sunk 
near Murrieta, in attempts to obtain flowing water, but at 200 or 300 
feet quicksand was encountered and the wells could not be completed. 

In 1912 or 1913 a well sunk by Mr. Dodd to a reported depth of 
nearly 600 feet beside the creek channel a mile south of Murrieta 
obtained a slight artesian flow, and a well that was put down about 
3 miles farther southeast, near Santa Gertrudis Creek, is said to 
flow in the winter. Although neither of these two deep weUs 
obtained strong artesian flows, each supplied a pumping plant in 1915. 

The most successftd flows in the valley of Murrieta Creek are 
obtained from four weUs sunk in 1913 on the property of Mr. Auguste 
Cantarini (well 156, PI. Ill, in pocket) a mile north of Temecula. 
Three of these weUs, sunk close together to a depth of 246 feet and 
connected to an outlet 8 feet below the surface, obtained flowing 



88 GBOUN-D WATER IN SAK JACI27TO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

water at a depth of 146 feet, and in November, 1915, yielded a total 
flow of 75 gallons a muiute at a temperature of 69° F. In the fourth 
well, 303 feet deep, put down a quarter of a mile farther north, water 
was obtained at a depth of 276 feet and was flowing about 10 gallons 
a muiute in November, 1915. The head on the water-bearing beds 
penetrated in these wells seems to be due to the fact that the sands 
and gravels in which the wells were drilled dip gently toward the val- 
ley from the higher lands to the north and northeast. Other wells 
sunk to depths of about 500 feet in the lowland near Temecula are 
said to have failed to obtain flowing water. 

Along the eastern edge of the valley between Murrieta and Teme- 
cula a number of springs issue at the lower margin of the deposits 
of older sands and gi'avels. (See PI. Ill, in pocket.) These springs 
and the fact that the most successful artesian wells (those of IMr. 
Cantarini) have been drilled into the older sediments indicate that 
the artesian water is derived from layers in those sediments and not 
from the later vaUey alluvium. The character of the valley fill, so 
far as could be learned, also indicates that it does not contain artesian 
water-bearing beds. One weU put down near Murrieta through the 
quicksand to a depth of 520 feet passed through two layers of black 
muck, possibl}^ old swamp material, and also penetrated a log at a 
depth of 200 or 300 feet. The material in the last 100 feet was a white, 
compact clay, grading into harder, more gritty, material. In another 
test well, IJ miles east of Murrieta, sunk to a depth of 180 feet, frag- 
ments of resin and complete shells of nuts resembhng pine nuts were 
brought up in the drilhngs. Fragments of partly carbonized twigs 
and roots have been encountered in other wells sunk near Murrieta. 
These bits of vegetal matter indicate that the valley fill is deep and 
of a relatively recent period of deposition, but well-defined layers of 
sand or gravel containing water tmder pressure do not seem to be 
present. In several wells no good water-bearing sands were found 
below about 75 feet. 

GKOTTND-WATEH. LEVEL. 

Throughout the lowland of Murrieta Valley the ground-water level 
is within 20 feet of the surface, and beneath the greater part the 
depth to water is less than 10 feet. At Murrieta wells in the main 
part of town obtain water at depths of 12 to IS feet, but in the bench 
lands on each side depths of 30 to 40 feet to water were noted. The 
water table slopes upward at a perceptible rate beneath the bordering 
lands, however, so that the differences in the depth to water beneath 
the lowlands and the higher slopes are not so great as the differences 
in elevation. The conditions are the same at Temecula, where water 
is obtained in the lower part of the town at a depth of about 20 feet 
and on the adjacent slopes at depths of 40 or 50 feet. At Wildomar 
domestic wells obtain water at depths of 25 to 35 feet. 



MUKRIETA VALLEY. 89 

Measurements of the depth to water in numerous wells thi'oughout 
Murrieta Valley, made in March, 1904, and again in November, 1915, 
indicate that at the later date the water level was noticeably higher 
than at the earlier. In some wells on the borders of the valley the 
rise was as much as 10 feet, and in wells in the lowland it ranged from 
. 1 to 5 feet. The winter of 1903-4 was one of exceptionally low pre- 
cipitation, only 6.65 inches of rain being recorded at Elsinore, whereas 
the average for a number of seasons is more than 13 inches; in March, 
1904, therefore, the water level was doubtless low." The rainfall in 
the winter of 1913-14 was nearly the average and that in 1914-15 
somewhat niore than the average for the region, and in November, 
1915, the ground-water level was probably higher than usual. 

IRRIGATION. 

In 1915 the Dodd well, near Murrieta, furnished water for irrigating 
an adjacent alfalfa field, and the plant near Santa Gertrudis Creek 
supplied another, much larger field of alfalfa. The flowing wells of 
Mr. Cantarini, near Temecula, also supplied a small field of alfalfa. 
Other irrigation in Murrieta Valley in 1915 was limited to the 
watering of a few orchard trees from domestic wells, at the towns of 
Wildomar, Murrieta, and Temecula. 

It is possible that wells sunk to depths of 500 feet or more in the 
lowlands of Murrieta Valley might be more successful in obtain- 
ing flows than were the test wells put down prior to 1915, but 
it is improbable that flows sufficiently large for extensive irriga- 
tion can be obtained. Throughout the lowland the ground water is 
within easy reach by pumping, but at the time of examination no 
exhaustive tests of the yield of shallow wells had been made, and it 
is possible that the shallow water-bearing sands are too fine grained 
to yield large supplies of water for irrigation. The somewhat alkaline 
character of the shallow water and of the soil in some parts of the 
lowland may prevent successful development of much of the land along 
Murrieta Creek for the growing of irrigated crops. The soil of the 
adjacent slopes seems to be good, however, and water for the irriga- 
tion of orchards on these higher lands could perhaps be pumped from 
wells sunk in the less alkaline parts of the lowlands. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

Analyses or laboratory assays have been made on eight well waters 
and one spring water in Murrieta Valley, including water from the 
flowing well at Murrieta and one of Mr. Cantarini's flowing wells. 

Except for the water of one well (No. 157) at Temecula, which 
contains so much chloride and bicarbonate that it is unsuitable for 
irrigation, the sampled well waters from Murrieta Valley range in 
quality from fair to good for domestic uses and for irrigation. Two 



90 GROUND WATER IN" SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

wells (Nos. 151 and 152) at Murrieta and Mi-. Cantarini's flowing well 
(No. 156) yield sodium-carbonate waters. The first two waters are 
rather high in total solids, but the water from the Cantarini weU 
contains only 234 parts per million. At Wildomar the well sampled 
(No. 150) yielSs a rather hard calcium-carbonate water. The well 
1^ miles east of Murrieta (No. 153) is shown by the laboratory assay 
to yield a sodium-carbonate water lower in total solids than that 
from the well at Wildomar (No. 150) and only half as hard. 

ALKALI. 

In the lowland along Murrieta Creek for 2 or 3 miles above Teme- 
cula, the ground-water level is within 6 or 8 feet of the surface, and 
the continual evaporation from this moist area has caused the con- 
centration of alkali. Chemical examination of the waters tested 
indicates that in most of them sodium is the predominant base. If 
chloride or sulphate is also present in large amount, "white alkali" 
may form upon concentration of the water. In six of the waters 
analyzed (Nos. 151, 152, 153, 156, 158, and 161 on PL III, in 
pocket) carbonate is predominant among the acids and sodium 
is predominant among the bases. Such waters would form "black 
alkali" upon evaporation. Most of this lowland could probably be 
improved by ditching and drainage, but the adjacent slopes seem 
to offer lands that are better adapted to agriculture. The lowlands 
produce a fair stand of natural forage and can probably be best used 
as at present — for grazing. 

TEMECULA VALLEY. 
LOCATION AND CHABACTER. 

Temecula. Valley extends downstream from the mouth of Nigger 
Canyon a distance of about 9 miles to the head of Temecula Canyon. 
Below Nigger Canyon the lowland rapidly opens to a width varying 
from three-quarters of a mile to fully a mile, and the stream channel 
is wide, sandy, and unusually dry throughout the later months of the 
year. Three or four miles below Nigger Canyon the channel is cut 
to a depth of a few feet in the valley alluvium, and the water rises 
to the surface and forms a perennial stream. Along this stretch the 
valley land is only half a mile wide, but IJ miles above Temecula 
Canyon the lowland widens southeastward up the tributary valley of 
Penjango Creek. A view of the lower part of the valley, looking west- 
ward toward Temecula Canyon, is given in Plate XIII, A. On the 
south side of the valley for 2 miles below Nigger Canyon and along the 
western side of Penjango Creek the granitic rocks of the bordering 
mountains adjoin the edge of the lowland, but along the rest of the 
southern side of the valley and the entire length of its northern side 
the hills are composed of the clays and gravels that occupy a consid- 
erable area in the Temecula basin. (See PI. Ill, in pocket.) 



TEMECULA VALLEY. 



91 



AB.TESIAK AREA. 



160 



161 



■Feed; 



30t 

■3W 
318 
3Z6 
330 
336 
3-<fO 
3^2 
3'^e 
356 

3V0 
376 
37a 



Feet 



8/3CA- sa/t</ 



Soi7 

Sana' and ^r^t/et 
Clay ancf sane/ 



83 



f?ed cf^ 



Clay 3ncf hardpSii ' 



In 1903-4 foux deep wells were drilled along the northern side of 
Temecula Valley and yielded rather strong artesian flows. In 1915 no 
additional wells had 
been sunk, but the 
original wells were 
still flowing and 
supplied part of the 
vrater used in irrigat- 
ing alfalfa. The 
logs of two of these 
wells are given in fig- 
ure 15. 

The records of ma- 
terials penetrated in- 
dicate that the ar- 
tesian water is ob- 
tained from strata in 
the older sedimen- 
tary deposits that 
form the hills border- 
ing the valley. The 
artesian head is prob- 
ably due to the in- 
clination of these 
older deposits toward 
the vaUey, in the 
same way as at Mr. 
Cantarini's wells near 
Temecula (p. 88). 
The extent of the 
flowing-well area, so 
far as it is indicated 
by the four weUs, 
is shown in Plate 
III (in pocket). In 
1915 the well flow- 
ing strongest was at 
the dairy of the 
Pauba ranch, on the 



Sandjivater' 

Red clay ' 

Sand: a little rvatsf 
Slue clay >-- -" 
■Sand; nater 
s/Blue clay 



1 .230 



Sand 

Hardpan . - 

'Grai^el; floiv/ng iv^ier 



if 80 

4ee 



520 
S2^ 
S26 
530 



Hardpan 

Grai^el; floiA/m^ tvater 

Blue c/ay 

Sand 

Clay 

Gr^yel; f/ow/n^ watef 

Hardpan ^nd c/&y 

Grai/el; /"/oyy/n^ ivaier 

Clay 

Fine sand 

Clay 

Sand and ^r4i^e/ 
Clay 

Sand, and .^rai/e/j 

flowing W3ter 

Clay 

Sand 

Blue clay 

Sand and gravel 

Clay with rocks 

Sand and .^rave/ 



Sand ^nd\^ra\felA 

isig water, small flow ! 



Clay and iiardpaO 



Fine sahd; water 
Coarse sand 



361 

386 
3891 

396, 






^50 
458 
HSR 

A-SO 
A86 
A.92 
^93 
507 

513 
SZ7 
526 
538 

s«o 



={i^'ay and sand 
s Coarse sand 

'flay 

Sand and clay 

Clay -^ ■ 

Sand, water, sma/i f/otV 

Sand and day 

Fine sand 

Gray el ' 

Clay and sand 

Coarse sand 

Clay 

Sandy clay 

Sand 

Clay with lime rocif 

i^^ Sandy clay 
^^ Sand and iravelj 
i£j a little water 

Sandy clay 

Grat^el 

Sandy clay , \ 

\C03rse sand and .^raveli ) 

flowin.^ water 

Sandy clay 



FiGUEE 15.— Logs of flowing^ artesian wells in Temecula VaUey. 1 

The four wells 



north edge of the valley (well No. 160, PL III) 
were said to yield about 200 gallons a minute. 



92 GROUND WATEB IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

GROUND-WATER LEVEL. 

Throughout the lowland of Temecula Valley proper, ground water 
is found within 20 feet of the surface, and in the wide sandy flats of 
its upper portion is less than 10 feet below the surface. Beneath the 
open valley land on the northern side of Penjango Creek the depth 
to water rapidly increases toward the hills, and in November, 1915, 
was more than 80 feet along the northern border of the lowland. In 
the upper part of the valley of Penjango Creek the water level was 
also at an unexpectedly great depth in the fall of 1915, being more 
tharn 40 feet below the surface in wells dug beside the dry, sandy 
channel of the creek. 

The surrounding slopes are underlain by the older sands and 
gravels which seem also to constitute a deep, porous valley fill, into 
which the water sinks rapidly. The drainage area above the head 
of Penjango Creek Valley includes only about 8 square miles and 
seemingly does not absorb enough water to bring the ground water 
level near the surface. The conditions affecting ground water 
appear to be analogous to those in the deep alluvial deposits at the 
northwest end of Elsinore Valley. 

In the minor valleys in the upper part of the Temecula basin water 
is generally found relatively near the surface in the alluvial and 
residual materials. So far as was learned, no attempt has been made 
to obtaia water for other than domestic use and for stock. In 
Babtiste Valley — the largest of these upland valleys — several wells 
had been put down prior to August, 1916, as indicated in Plate III 
(in pocket). 

The depth to water in each well on August 2, 1916, is given in the 
following list: 

Depth to water in wells in Babtiste Valley, August, 1916. 



Well 
No. 



Owner. 



Total 
depth. 



Depth to 
water. 



Remarks. 



162 
163 
164 
165 
166 
167 

168 
169 
170 
171 
172 



W. M. Reed 

J. W. Shaney 

J. H. Arbuckle. .. 

G. B. Evans 

Joseph Daschner. 
H. G. Cooper 



T. E. Weatherill. 

W. E. Cort 

A. S. Contreras... 
do 

F. M. Hopkins... 



Feet. 

74 

107 

110 

157 



Feet. 
Dry. 
57 
84 
108 
100 



Rock at bottom. 
Windmill. 

Windmill. 
Approximate. 

Drilling Aug. 2, 1916; expected 
water at about 60 feet. 



Windmill. 
Do. 
Do. 



i 



IRRIGATION. 



The irrigation of alfaKa has been carried on in the lower part of the 
valley for many years in connection with dairying and stock raising. 
Part of the water for irrigation is obtained from four flowing wells. 



"^W 



PUMPING TESTS. -93 

but mainly from a canal that takes water from Temecula River where 
the underflow of that stream rises to the surface. Most of the valley 
lands are devoted to grazing, however, the relatively small acreage 
of alfalfa land being shown in Plate V (in pocket). Both surface 
water and ground water are available for greatly extending the irri- 
gated acreage in this valley. In the lowlands near Penjango Creek 
little attempt at irrigation has been made because surface water 
can not easily be provided and the groimd water is not only deep 
but in relatively small amount. 

QUALITY OF WATER. 

Samples of water for analysis were collected from the easternmost 
flowing well in the valley (No. 161), from a shallow well (No. 159), 
and from Temecula River, 2 miles southeast of Temeciila.' The 
results are tabulated opposite page 86. 

The waters from the shallow and the flowing well are of nearly 
the same concentration but the river water is about twice as heavily 
mineralized as that from either of the wells. 

The waters from both wells are suitable for domestic use, but the 
river water is only fair because of its rather high total solids and its 
hardness. It is also classed, as fair for irrigation. The water is 
freely used in the irrigation of alfalfa on the Pauba ranch. 

ALKALI. 

As a whole the lands of Temecula Valley are well drained and are 
free from harmful amounts of alkahne salts. Near the channel of 
Temecula River, in the lower part of its valley, small deposits of 
efflorescent salts appear during the long, dry season. The slope of 
the valley lands is, however, sufficient to allow them to be easily 
drained by ditching, and it does not seem probable that alkali will 
develop to serious extent in any part of the irrigable areas. 

PUMPING TESTS. 

By Herman Stabler. 

NOTES ON THE PLANTS. 

TESTED PLANTS. 

In the summer of 1910, in connection with other studies of the 
water supply, pumping tests were made at six irrigation plants in 
San Jacinto Valley. A description of each plant and test is presented 
in the following pages, together with brief remarks concerning the 
results shown by the test. The data of chief interest to the irrigator 
have been collected in a table (p. 100). A summary of the principal 
points to be observed in order to obtain good service from a pumping 
plant is also appended. 



94 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 
WELL NO. 103,1 PLANT OF CAWSTON OSTRICH FARM. 

Location. — Two miles west of San Jacinto. 

Plant. — 40-horsepower Western distillate engine; belt-connected to an 8-incli 
Jackson vertical centrifugal pump. Four wells, 7 inches in diameter, respectively 
144, 144, 145, and 148 feet deep, and two wells 10 inches in diameter and 146 feet deep. 
A small amount of surface water was found about 15 feet below the surface ; in three 
of the wells water-bearing gravel was reached at a depth of 75 feet, in one well at a 
depth of 65 feet, in one well at a depth of 54 feet, and in one well at a depth of 50 feet, 
the gravel continuing in all wells to the bottom. 

Cost. — Engine and pump, |2,000; wells and casing, ?1,300; complete plant, $3,800. 

Use in 1910. — The plant was used in 1910 to irrigate 100 acres of alfalfa, being run 
12 hours a day fi-om the first of May to the middle of November. 

Reviarks. — The plant is at the edge of the mesa, west of San Jacinto, and was said 
to yield about a thousand gallons of water per minute. The consumption of distillate 
was about 3 J gallons per houi'. The pump was installed at the water level in a pit 
15 feet deep, and the water was lifted about 10 feet above the surface of the ground 
at the plant. It appears that the pump installed was larger than was necessary for 
the flow of water obtained, and that the engine was not of sufficient power to operate 
the piunp at economical capacity against the prevailing head. A plant consisting 
of a 6-inch pump and 30-horse power engine, or a 7-infh pump with the 40-horsepower 
engine would have been more economical. However, the plant as installed and 
operated gave very fair satisfaction. 

WELL NO. 104, PLANT OF R. S. SMITH. 

Location. — Two miles west of San Jacinto. 

Plant. — 12-horsepower Western distillate engine; belt-connected to a 3-inch Eclipse 
vertical centrifugal pump. Well 7 inches in diameter and 108 feet deep. 
Log ofivell. — The following log is shown graphically in Plate VIII (p. 32). 



Depth. 




Sandy loam 

Water-bearing fine sand 

Yellow clay 

Water-bearing gravel 

Cost. — Engine and pump, $850; well and casing, $162; complete plant, $1,200. 

Use in 1910. — The plant was used in 1910 to irrigate 14 acres of alfalfa. The alfalfa 
was watered twice to each of seven crops. About 1 gallon of distillate was used per 
hoiu, twelve 110-gallon driuns being used during the season. 

Remarks. — The plant is on the mesa west of San Jacinto. A concrete reservoir 
about 50 feet square and 4 feet deep was used to store water during the night to supple- 
ment the water pumped during irrigation in the day. The discharge was stated at 
315 gallons per minute. If the discharge was stated correctly, the pump was operated 
considerably above its economical capacity. Further lack of economy is the us3 of 
the plant for irrigation of an area so small as 14 acres, 300 gallons per minute being 
sufficient to irrigate a tract of land 40 or 50 acres. The duty of water on the tract 
inigated by this plant in 1910 appeal's to have been excessively low, 5^ acre-feet 
per acre. 

1 This number corresponds with the number of the well on PI. Ill, in pocket. 



PUMPING TESTS. 



95 



WELX. NO. 94, PLANT OF W. F. KAISER. 

Location. — Lot 158, Faircliilds subdivision of San Jacinto Viejo. 

Plant. — 18-liorsepower WTiite and Middleton distillate engine, with. 50-inch pulley, 
belt-connected to a 5-inch Eclipse veitical centrifugal pump having a 12-incli pulley. 
Well 12 inches in diameter and 181 feet deep. 

Log ofwelL^-The following log is shown graphically in Plate VIII (p. 32). 




Depth. 



Sandy loam 

Water-bearing quicksand 
Clay and loam 

Water-bearing gravel 

Clay and cemented sand. 



Feet. 



25 

28 

73 

123 

181 



Cost. — Engine and pump, $1,200; well and casing, $395; plant, complete, $1,850. 

Use in 1910. — The plant was completed May 20, 1910, and used for the irrigation 
of 12 acres of alfalfa and for domestic supply. 

Bemarhs. — The plant is on the mesa southwest of the San Jacinto . The machinery was 
new, and the installation showed evidence of cajre and good workmanship. The pump 
was installed in a 27-foot pit, the total lift above the pump being 31 feet. A rough 
measurement by weir November 26, 1910, showed the discharge to be 410 gallons per 
minute when the vacuum gage stood at 27. The nominal capacity of the pump was 
considerably in excess of the apparent capacity of the well, and the engine was too 
small to operate the pump at economical capacity against the prevailing head. A 4-inch 
pump and a 15-horsepower engine would undoubtedly have been more desirable than 
those selected for this plant. Further lack of economy was shown in the use of so large 
a plant to irrigate a small area of land. The owner proposed to install an additional 
plant, making two plants on an area of 40 acres. The existing plant, as installed and 
operated, had the capacity to irrigate 40 acres in about 1.600 hours, with a duty of 
water of 3-acre-feet per care. The need of an additional plant, therefore, was not 
apparent. 

WELL NO. 109, PLANT OF JAMES COOK. 

Location. — Lot 157, Fairchilds subdivision of San Jacinto Viejo. 

Plant. — 12-horsepower Stover distillate engine, with 36-inch pulley; belt-connected 
to a 3-inch Jackson vertical centrifugal pump having a 6-inch pulley. Well 10 inches 
in diameter and 114 feet deep. 

Ijog of well. — The following log is shown graphically in Plate VIII (p. 32). 




Depth. 



Sandy loam 

Water-hearing gravel 

Blue clay 

Water-bearing gravel 

Blue clay 

Water-bearing gravel 

Blue clay 

Water-bearing gravel 



Feet. 



32 
38 
60 
67 
82 

■83 
84 

114 



Cost. — Engine and pump (second-hand), $500; well and casing, $202; plant com- 
plete, $800. 

Use in 1910. — Irrigation of Sj acres of potatoes five times and preparation of 3 acres 
for alfalfa. About 270 gallons of engine distillate, costing $29.70, were used for this 
work, probably 5.3 acre-feet of water being pumped. 



96 GROUND WATEE IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

Remarls. — The engine was old and in poor condition, worn bearings and leakage 
around the piston being especially noticeable. The pump was also in poor condition, 
the discharge being less than the nominal economic capacity, although the pump was 
much overspeeded. The pump was installed in a pit 14 feet deep, 3 feet wide, and 24 
feet long, pump and well being at opposite ends of the pit. The 5-inch suction pipe 
extended 20 feet horizontally from pump to well and then 26 feet vertically in the 
well. The water stood about 17 feet below the surface of the ground and was drawn 
down 11 feet when pumped at the rate of 206 gallons per minute. The plant was at 
the foot of the mesa, southwest of San Jacinto, and the water was discharged through 
about 100 feet of 5-inch pipe leading to the mesa level. A test of the plant November 
28, 1910, gave the following results: 

Distillate used, 1.94 gallons per hour; discharge at highest speed, 206 gallons per 
minute; speed of engine, 245 to 270 r. p. m. ; speed of pump, calculated, 1,470 to 1,620 
r. p. m. (overspeeded). 

Considerable difficulty was experienced in keeping the engine operating properly. 
Commendable features of this plant were its location at the foot of the mesa, giving 
best water supply with least cost for well and pump pit; the size of the pump, which 
was the smallest suitable for irrigation by flooding; the capacity of the well, which was 
the best seen in the valley. Uneconomic features were the use of a 12-horsepower 
engine for work that could be done equally well by a 6-horsepower engine; poor condi- 
tion of machinery; the small size of the farm, a pumping plant capable of furnishing 
water for an area five times as large as this farm being necessary for irrigation by 
flooding. 

WELL NO. 110, PLANT OF MRS. EVA L. SKENK. 

Location. — One mile southwest of San Jacinto. 

Plant. — 35-horsepower Olds distillate engine; belt-connected to a 6-inch Eclipse 
vertical centrifugal pump. Four wells — two 12-inch, one 10-inch, and one 7-inch; 
each about 165 feet deep. 

Cost. — Engine and pump, |1,650; wells and casing, ?1,240; complete plant, |3,200. 

Use in 1910. — Irrigation of 75 acres of alfalfa and 25 acres of potatoes. 

Remarks. — The pump was installed in a pit 5 feet below the surface of the ground. 
The wells all flowed, the static head being about 10 feet above the surface of the ground. 
During operation the suction head was eqidvalent to a vacuum of 26 to 27 inches. Two 
and one-half gallons per hour of distillate was required to operate the engine. The 
artesian flow amounted to about 90 gallons per minute and the discharge when the 
pump was operated was 810 gallons per minute. A cement-lined reservoir in which 
the artesian flow was stored during the night was used in connection with this plant. 
Six hundred feet of 12-inch steel pipe and about 1,700 feet of 12-inch cement pipe was 
used to carry the water. The engine seemed to be unnecessarily large for the pump 
installed and the pump was operated at a speed too high for the greatest economy. 

WELL NO. 72, PLANT OF PAUL WALKER. 

Location. — In the SE. J sec. 19, T. 5 S., R. 1 W. San Bernardino meridian, about 1 
mile southwest of Egan. 

Plant. — 50-horse St. Mary's engine, with 44-inch pulley; belt-connected to an 8-inch 
Jackson vertical centrifugal pump having a 14-inch pulley. At this plant are 10 wells, 
of which eight are 12 inches and two 10 inches in diameter. The depths are as follows: 
58, 58, 59, 60, 64, 66, 70, 79, 80, and 120 feet. One of the wells passed through 34 feet 
of water-beafing gravel and nine passed through 29 feet of water-bearing gravel. 

Log of 120-foot loell. — The following log is shown graphically in Plate VIII (p. 32). 



Sandy loam 

Water-bearing gravel. 
Blue clay 




PUMPING TESTS. 97 

Cosf.— Engine and pump, $2,500; wells and casing, |1,360; complete plant, $4,250. 

Use in i9:?0.— Irrigation of 20 acres of alfalfa and 30 acres of melons. About 900 
gallons of distillate, costing $90, were used during the year. 

Remarks.— Khont 3^ gallons per hour of distillate was used by the engine. The 
pump was inatalled at the water level in a pit 15 feet deep. The discharge lift waa 
20 feet, and during operation the drawdown corresponded to a vacuum of 17 to 23 
inches. This plant appeared to be exceptionally well designed. 

UNTESTED PLANTS. 

In addition to the plants tested there were several others between 
Winchester and San Jacinto and six or more southeast of San Jacinto 
for which no detailed information was obtained. The following 
statenient, based on a rough estimate for these plants, shows approxi- 
mately the state of development of ground water by pimiping in San 
Jacinto Valley above Winchester at the close of 1910. 

Number of plants, 21. 

Horsepower of engines, 594. 

Nominal capacity of pumps, 18,260 gallons per minute, equivalent to 2,030 miner's 
inches, or 40.6 second-feet. 

Practical capacity of plants, 12,060 gallons per minute, equivalent to 1,340 miner's 
inches, 26.8 second-feet. 

Capital invested, $50,000. 

Water pumpied in 1910, 2,380 acre-feet. 

Area irrigated in 1910, 700 acres. 

Cost per acre of pumping water, $20 (fixed charges, $13; operation, $7). 

PUMPING STATION OF THE TEMESCAL WATER CO. 

The following notes were obtained concerning the pumping station 
at Ethanac, in Perris VaUey. 

The Temescal Water Co. maintains a central power plant at 
Ethanac, equipped (in 1910) with three Babcock & Wilcox boilers 
of 150-horsepower capacity each, operated with crude oil as fuel; 
one 2-50-horsepower and one 350-horsepower Hamilton-Corhss com- 
pound condensing engine; one belt-driven 175-kilowatt General Elec- 
tric generator; and one belt-driven 350-kilowatt Stanley Electric 
Manufacturing Co. "S. K. C. system" generator. Three-phase alter- 
nating current of 45 amperes was generated and transmitted to local 
pumping stations at 2,400 volts. A part of the current was stepped 
up to 10,000 volts for transmission to Temescal and Corona. At the 
local plants the voltage was stepped do-vsni to 220 for the operation 
of the motors. The local stations were six in number and were ia 
general equipped with 30-horsepower motors and Jackson vertical 
centrifugal pumps, set in pits about 40 feet deep. A triplex deep- 
well piunp was installed at one of the stations. 

The total amount of water pumped at the six stations was about 
600 miner's inches, equivalent to 12 second-feet or 5,400 gallons per 
minute, from fourteen 10-inch and 12-inch wells, with a mean suction 
71065°— 19— wsp 429 7 



98 GEOUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

lift of 26 feet and total lift of 66 feet. The horsepower delivered to 
the motors was 160, the useful water horsepower 90, and the apparent 
efficiency 56 per cent. The mean drawdown was about 14 feet early 
in the season, increasing to 28 feet as a maximum the last part of the 
season of 1910. The mean capacity per well per foot of drawdown 
was therefore, at the maximum drawdown, 1.53 miner's inches, 
equivalent to 0.031 second-foot or 13.8 gallons per minute. 

The pmnping season usually lasts about 10 months— from March to 
December, inclusive — though pumping at full capacity is not necessary 
during the early and late parts of the season. 

The cost of developing power (including fixed charges of $200 per 
month) at heavy load was found to be 1.15 cents per kilowatt hour in 
July and August of 1910, with crude oil for fuel at $1.15 per barrel. 
During July, 1910, 3.387 kilowatt hours were developed per gallon of 
crude oil. • These figures would indicate a fuel cost of 96.7 cents per 
acre-foot of water pumped, or 1.53 cents per useful water horsepower 
hour, and a total cost for power of $1.37 per acre-foot of water 
pumped, or 2.17 cents per useful water horsepower hour. These costs 
would be considerably exceeded by the average costs of a year's rxin, 
because of the uneconomical operation under part load during several 
months of the year and the accumulation of fixed costs when the plant 
is not in operation. It was estimated that the fixed charges on the 
pmnping plants amounted to approximately 50 cents per acre-foot of 
water pumped. The entire cost of dehvering pumped water to the 
ditches was probably about $2 per acre-foot. 

EjBB.ciency tests of some of the plants of the Temescal Water Co. 
were made by Le Conte in 1904, and reported in Bulletin 158, Ofiice 
of Experiment Stations, United States Department of Agriculture. 

Betterments, including the boring of additional wells and the 
extension of pits and lowering of pumps, were in progi'ess in 1910. 
This work was "expected to add considerably to the efl&ciency of the 
plants by reducing suction lifts. 

SUMMARY OF TESTS. 

In summarizing the cost of pumping at the six plants examined 
the results have been tabulated in three ways: (1) For a year of 
4,800 hours, or continuous pumping throughout an irrigation season 
of 200 days; (2) for a year of 2,400 hours, or pumping 12 hours a 
day for an irrigation season of 200 days; and (3) as operated in 1910, 
which, except for two of the plants, represents occasional pumping 
only. This has been done in order to bring out clearly the effect of 
time of operation on the final costs. The irrigator sometimes con- 
siders only the actual expenses of operation of a plant when figuring 
on the cost of pumping water. The cost of irrigation by pumping, 
however, properly includes both fixed charges and cost of operation. 



PUMPING TESTS. 99 

The fixed charges are interest on the money invested in the plant, 
taxes, and depreciation. With these may also be included the com- 
paratively small item of repairs. A fair annual fixed charge for 
pumping plants consisting of weUs, centrifugal pump, distillate engine, 
pump house, and pit is 14 per cent of the cost of the engine and 
pump plus 8 per cent of the cost of the complete plant. Such a 
charge must be met, whether the plant is operated or not, but it is 
often not taken into account by ranchers. This leads to an erroneous 
idea of the cost of irrigation by pumping. Since such a charge is 
practically independent of the operation of the plant, it follows that 
a plant shoiild be operated continuously throughout the irrigation 
season, if the most economical results are to be attained. The costs 
of operation are fuel, lubricating oil, and labor. The fuel used in 
an engine in satisfactory state of repair is nearly directly proportional 
to the power developed, and hence to the water pumped. For San 
Jacinto Valley the cost of distillate for fuel has been taken as 10 
cents per gallon. Labor and lubrication are minor items and may 
be assumed as 2 cents per hour of operation without great error. 
On these bases, the cost of irrigation with the six pumping plants 
ia the valley that were tested has been estimated and is presented 
in the table on page 100. 

The actual discharge during test is given in three units — miner's 
inches, gallons per minute, and second-feet^ — and the discharge in 
acre-feet ^ is computed for periods of 200 days of continuous pumping . 
(4,800 hours) and 200 days of pumping 12 hom-s a day (2,400 hours). 
The number of hours required to pump 1 acre-foot is given, and the 
total amount of water reported to have been actually pumped in 1910 
is also expressed in acre-feet. 

The areas irrigable during pumping seasons of 4,800 and 2,400 
hours are computed for comparison with the number of acres that 
were irrigated in 1910. 

The duty of water in 1910 is obtained by dividing the acre-feet of 
water pumped by the number of acres irrigated. 

The column of drawdown shows the extent to which the water 
level in the wells was lowered during the tests. Generally about 20 
minutes was required to reduce the water level to an elevation that 
remained constant thereafter with uniform discharge from the. plant. 

The total static head represents the difference in elevation between 
the water level in the well during operation and the level at which 
the water was discharged from the pumping plant. 

The estimate of useful water horsepower is derived from the dis- 
charge and the total static head, being the discharge in poimds per 
second (the discharge in second-feet X 62.3) multipHed by the total 
static head in feet, divided by 550 (the number of foot-pounds per 
second in 1 horsepower). 

1 One second-foot of water is equivalent to 1 cubic foot per second. 

"^ One acre-foot of water is sufficient water to cover 1 acre to a depth of 1 foot and is equal to 43,560 cubio 
feet. 



100 GROUND "WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 
Swm-mary of pumping-plant data. 













Area irrigable, 












assuming duty 






Discharge. 






of water of 3 








Hours 


Acre- 


acre-feetperacre 


WeU 






to 


feet 


per annum. 


num- 


Owner, 1910. 




pirmp 
1 acre- 


pumped 




ber.o 












m 












Gallons 




Acre- 


Acre- 


foot. 


1910. 


Year 


Year 






Miner's 


per 


Sectmd- 


feet per 


feet per 






of 


of 






inches. 


min- 
ute. 


feet. 


4,800 
hours. 


2,400 
hours. 






4,800 
hours. 


2,400 
hours. 




















Acres. 


Acres. 


103 


Cawston ostrich farm . 


120 


1,080 


2.4 


956 


478 


5.0 


478 


317 


159 


104 


E. S. Sn 
W. F. K 


lith 


35 
45.5 


315 
410 


.7 
.9 


278 
362 


139 

181 


17.3 
13.2 


77 
36 


93 

121 


46 


94 


aiser 


60 


109 


James C 
Eva L. { 
Paul We 


ook . 


23 
90 
175.5 


208 

810 

1,580 


.46 
1.8 
3.5 


182 

716 

1,3% 


91 

358 
698 


25.3 
6.7 
3.5 


5.3 

279 
73 


61 
239 
465 


30 


110 




119 


72 


Iker 


232 










Area 


Duty of 


Depth 

to 
water 
table.c 


Draw- 
down. 


Total 


Useful 
water 
horse- 
power. 


Fuel. 




Well 








Cost 

per 

useful 

water 


Cost 


Cost of 


irain- 
ber^ 


irrigated 
in 1910. 


water 
in 1910. 


static 
head. 


Gallons 
per 


Cost 
per 


per 

acre-foot 

of 

water 

pumped. 


ma- 
chinery. 
















hour. 


hour. 


horse- 
power 
hour. 






Acres. 


Acre-ft. 


Feet. 


Feet. 


Feet. 






Cents. 


Cents. 






103 


100 


4.8 


20 


25 


63 


14.4 


3.3 




33 


2.3 


81.65 


$2, 000 


104 


14 


5.5 


28 


29 


60 


4.8 


1.0 




10 


2.1 


1.73 


850 


94 


12 


3.0 


31 


29 


61 


6.3 


1.5 




15 


2.4 


1.98 


1,200 


109 


4 


1.3 


17 


11 


46 


2.4 


1.9 




19 


7.9 


4.82 


500 


110 


100 


2.8 


C) 


44 


40 


8.2 


2.5 




25 


3.1 


1.68 


1,650 


72 


50 


1.5 


15 


26 


45 


18.0 


3.5 




35 


1.9 


1.21 


2,500 









Annual cost of fuel, labor, 


Total cost per acre-foot 


Total cost per acre (rf 




Cost of 


Annual 


and lubrication. 


of pumping water. 


pumping water.!" 


WeU 














Per year 


Per year 




num- 


plete 
plant. 


fixed 














of 4,800 


of 2,400 




ber.a 


charges. 


Per 


Per 


As op- 


Per 


Per 


As op- 


hours 


hours 


As op- 






year of 


year of 


erated 


year of 


year of 


erated 


assuming 


assummg 


erated 








4,800 


2,400 


m 


4,800 


2,400 


in 


a duty 


a duty 


m 








hours. 


hours. 


1910. 


hours. 


hours. 


1910. 


of 3 acre- 
feet per 
acre. 


of 3 acre- 
feet per 
acre. 


1910. 


103 


$3,800 


$584 


$1,680 


$840 


$836 


$2.37 


$2.98 


$2.97 


$7.11 


$8.94 


$14.26 


104 


1,200 


215 


576 


288 


160 


2.85 


3.63 


4.87 


8.55 


10.89 


26.78 


94 


1,850 


316 


816 


413 


81 


3.12 


4.03 


10.54 


9.36 


12.09 


31.62 


109 


800 


134 


1,008 


504 


28 


6.27 


7.02 


30.58 


18.81 


21.06 


39.75 


110 


3,200 


487 


1,296 


648 


505 


2.49 


3.17 


3.56 


7.47 


9.51 


9.97 


72 


4,250 


690 


1,776 


888 


95 


1.77 


2.26 


10.76 


5.31 


6.78 


16.14 



a These numbers correspond with the numbers of well locations in Plate III. 

i The averages for plants 103, 104, 94, 110, and 72 for a year of 4,800 hours, one of 2,400 hours, and as 
operated in 1910 are, respectively, $7.56, $9.64, and $19.75. 

f Figures arc for depth below surface of ground. In most plants the water was lifted some distance 
above the surface. 

<* Artesian head, 4 feet. 

Under the heading "Fuel" the number of gallons per hour repre- 
sents the rate of consumption during the test. The cost per hour 
is figured at 10 cents per gallon for the distillate. The cost per useful 
water-horsepower hour is the cost per hour divided by the usefiil 
water horsepower, and the cost per acre-foot of water pumped is 



PUMPING TESTS. 101 

equal to the number of hours required to pump 1 acre-foot, multi- 
pHed by the cost per hour of fuel. 

The annual fixed charges have been taken as 14 per cent of the cost 
of machinery plus 8 per cent of the cost of the complete plant. 

Under the heading "Annual cost of fuel, labor, and lubrication," 
the hom-ly cost is taken as the hourly cost of fuel (given under the 
heading of fuel), plus 2 cents an hoiu" for labor and lubrication. The 
number of hours operated in 1910 is obtained by multiplying the 
number of acre-feet pumped in 1910 by the number of hours required 
to pump 1 acre-foot. 

The total cost per acre-foot of pumping water for 4,800 hours, for 
2,400 hours, and for the period of operation in 1910, is for each period 
equal to the annual cost of fixed charges plus fuel, labor, and lubri- 
cation, divided by the number of acre-feet pumped. 

The total cost per acre of pumping water during years of 4,800 
and of 2,400 hours is taken as three times the cost per acre-foot, as 
it is assumed that a fair duty for water in this region is 3 acre-feet 
per acre. The total cost per acre as operated in 1910 is equal to the 
total cost per acre-foot of pumping water during that year, multiplied 
by the duty of water as actually used. 

A comparison of the areas irrigable during years of 4,800 and 
2,400 hours with the areas irrigated in 1910 shows clearly that the 
plants were used far less than economy would dictate. This Vv'as 
due in a considerable degree to the fact that the plants were new and 
full acreage to be served had not been brought under iri'igation, 
but ia part to lack of appreciation of the high cost of irrigation by 
pumped water when the fixed charges are included. 

The figures in the column headed "Drawdown" indicate that, 
except at plant No. 109, the wells were pumped to the limit of their 
capacity, the pumps being placed at or near the water level. At 
plant No. 110 there was artesian flow heading 10 feet above the sur- 
face of the ground. 

Under "Cost per useful water horsepower hour," under the head- 
ing "Fuel," the figures indicate the comparative efiiciency of the 
plants. Plant No. 109 is the only one not operated with a fair de- 
gree of efficiency. This satisfactory condition was doubtless due in 
great measure to the fact that most of the plants were new. Com- 
parison of the cost of fuel, labor, and lubrication with the annual 
fixed charges shows that in 1910 the fixed charges exceeded the opera- 
tion charges at all but two plants (Nos. 103 and 110), whereas opera- 
tion for 4,800 hours woiJd result in fixed charges about one-third 
of operation charges and would make the cost of pumped water 
much more nearly proportional to the cost of operation. 

The next to the last column in the table gives the total cost per 
acre of pumping water for a season of 200 days of 12 hours, with 
duty of water at 3 acre-feet to the acre, and shows the cost per acre 



.102 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND lEMECULA BASINS, GAL. 

tkat could, reasonably be expected in the irrigation of alfalfa with 
distillate at 10 cents a gallon. Barring plant No. 109, whose high 
cost of operation was due to an old and very inefficient engine, the 
mean cost per acre is found to be $9.64, or less than half the average 
cost of $19.75 in 1910. By contiauous operation throughout the 
irrigatiag season, the cost could be still further reduced to $7.56 per 
acre with distillate at 10 cents a gallon. 

FACTORS AFFECTING COSTS. 

In the descriptions of the pumpiag plants tested attention has 
been called to specific factors that rendered the plant a relatively 
expensive source of water supply, but these factors may properly 
be mentioned agaia ia order to emphasize their effects on the cost of 
irrigation. 

Most of the pumpiag plants ia San Jacinto Valley were well housed, 
but at some plants housiag is neglected. The rapid depreciation 
of pumpiag machinery, as well as of farm machinery of other kiads, 
if not taken care of, is very real, and depreciation is an important 
factor ia the cost of water for irrigation obtaiaed from weUs. 

In 1910 the tendency throughout the vaUey was to install pumpiag 
machinery capable of more work than was required of it. This 
tendency raay have been in part attributable to the sellers of the ma- 
chinery, who of course desired to make large sales, but large plants 
appear also to have been iastaUed as a matter of convenience in 
operation. The irrigator finds it easier to run a large pumpiag 
unit for a few hours than to accomphsh the same amount of irriga- 
tion with a smaller plant requiriag perhaps two or three days to 
supply the same acerage with water, overlookiag the fact that the 
iaterest on the greater amount of capital iavested ia the larger plant 
and the increased amount that must be charged to depreciation form 
very considerable items in the total annual cost of irrigation. If a 
larger plant has been iastalled than is needed to supply the acreage 
watered the error can be remedied if more land can be furnished 
with water, and the same result can of course be accomplished 
either by briaging new land under irrigation or by supplyiag from 
one plant lands that have been watered by two or more pumping 
units, each of which has been operated only a smaE part of the time. 

Although theoretically the pumping system should be only large 
enough to furnish the necessary amount of water if kept running 
contiauously throughout the irrigating season, practically the lowest 
limit to the size of plant is approximately fixed by the necessity of 
pumping a stream large enough to flow through the irrigation ditches 
with sufficient velocity to permit its proper distribution. The size 
of stream that must be thrown in order to give proper distribution 
depends very largely on the character of the sod, however. In 



PUMPING TESTS. 103 

Sacramento Valley, in the northern part of the State, it has been 
found, that "a discharge of at least 12 gallons per minute to the acre 
should, if possible be provided for aKaKa on ordinary loam soils in 
tracts of 40 to 200 acres, with larger capacities for smaller tracts 
and sHghtly smaller capacities for larger tracts." ^ 

At several plants in San Jacinto VaUey economy is obtained by 
the use of small plants pumping into reservoirs from which a suffi- 
cient irrigatiag head can be obtained during periods of irrigation. 
This practice has within recent years been encouraged by granting 
to plants using electric power somewhat lower rates for power used 
at night. 

In connection with the mistake of installing a plant larger than is 
needed for the area irrigated may be mentioned the installation of a 
pump Vhose capacity exceeds that of the well to supply water. The 
use of such a pump may entail considerable loss in efficiency either 
from excessive drawdown, which makes the pump lift greater than 
need be, or from the entrance of air into the pump, whose suction is 
.thereby impaired. This 'action is of course greatest when the water 
level is drawn down to the lower end of the suction pipe ; but even if 
this extreme lowering of the water level does not take place the fairly 
great velocity of flow into the suction pipe draws in bubbles of air 
which affect the priming. Such overtaxing can usually be overcome 
by enlarging the well or by sinking one or more auxihary wells con- 
nected to the pump intake by tunnels or by suction pipes. 

Although pumps in good condition may lift water about 28 feet 
under suction, a Hft of about 20 feet has been foimd in practice to 
be the maximum economical limit. Centrifugal pumps and the 
cylinders of reciprocating pumps should be placed not higher than 
this distance above the water level when pumping. Enlargements 
or bell-mouths on the ends of intake and discharge pipes are found 
to reduce the friction loss in head at points of entrance and discharge 
and thus slightly to increase the efficiency. Likewise, the elimina- 
tion of unnecessary elbows and bends in the pipes reduces losses 
from friction. At some pumping plants the end of the discharge 
pipe is placed higher than is necessary. Since every foot in height 
that the water is raised requires a certain amount of work, it is 
obvious that the discharge point should be only high enough to 
deliver the water into the ditch. 

The running of a large internal combustion engine at less than 
its load capacity is an important factor in increasing cost of pump- 
ing. Under such conditions, in order to keep do\\Ti to normal speed, 
the engine misses a number of explosions each minute. Serious loss 
in efficiency may thus be occasioned, as brake tests show that under 

1 Bryan, Kark, Ground water for irrigation in the Sacramento Valley, Gal.: U. S. Gaol. Survey Water- 
Supply Paper 375, p. 38, 1915. 



104 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

such conditions there is a marked loss in the effective work. This 
loss is due largely to the fact that the power consumed within the 
machine in compression of the charge and in friction is approxi- 
mately constant, and hence as the amount of work produced by the 
machine is decreased the energy consumed internally becomes a 
larger part of the total energy.^ The overloading of an engine, 
when normal speed may be kept up by feeding an extra amoimt of 
fuel, is also uneconomical, because of the excessive consumption of 
fuel and the strain on the machinery. 

Notable variations in speed, either of increase or of decrease beyond 
the normal, result in inefficient service, for every properly constructed 
engine is designed to rim under conditions of speed and load that are 
fairly well determined by the size of the engine parts, and any great 
variation in these conditions is bound to be attended by loss in 
efficiency from one or more causes. In electric motors underspeeding 
does not result in notable loss in efficiency, since the internal friction 
losses are slight and a large part (80 to 90 per cent) of the power 
consumed is given out as useful work. Overspeeding, however, may 
necessitate repairs due to overheating or burning out of parts. 

The proper adjustment of feed and ignition in an internal-com- 
bustion engine has great influence on the efficient working of the 
machine. If the ignition is retarded too much, an excessive charge 
of fuel is required. By advancing the spark, therefore, to produce 
a certain amount of pre-ignition, the consumption of fuel may be 
appreciably reduced. 

The temperatmre of the jacket water is a factor that is too often 
overlooked, for if the cylinder is cooled too much, the ignition may 
lag, and the same effect will be produced as by a spark too far 
retarded. 

At many plants too little attention is paid to the proper oiling and 
adjustment of the various bearings. Injury, of course, may quickly 
result to them from overheating due to lack of oil, or to running too 
tight; whereas if too much play is allowed the engine wiU be injured 
by pounding. Shpping of a loose belt is often the cause of poor 
service, whereas too tight a belt produces an undue strain on the 
pulley bearings. 

For proper running of a pump, relations of load and speed similar 
to those in an engine must be taken into consideration. Improper 
speeding of a centrifugal or other form of rotary pump will cause 
loss in efficiency, because if underspeeded the runner will not impart 
an economic proportion of its velocity to the water and therefore the 
pump wiU not hft water to its full capacity; and if overspeeded the 
runner wiU churn or will produce excessive velocity in the stream 

I Le Conte, J. N., and Tait, C. E., Mechanical tests of pumping plants in California: U.S. Dept. Agr. 
Office Exper. Sta. Bull. 181, p. 72, 1907. 



PUMPIITG TESTS. 105 

of water and losses due to excessive friction in the intake and outlet 
pipes. Although a centrifugal pump throvra more water when some- 
what overspeeded, it requires much more power for a given discharge 
than does a larger pump run at the proper speed. As has been pre- 
viously mentioned, overspeeding may also cause marked drop in 
efficiency by drawing air into the pump and impairing its suction. 
Overspeeding is, however, less to be avoided than underspeeding, 
since the discharge drops rapidly with slower rotation. 

For each rotary pump there is a definite relation between the lift 
of the water and the speed of the pump for greatest efficiency. The 
proper speed for each lift is usually given by the pump maker and 
should be closely adhered to in order to obtain satisfactory results 
both in the amount of water lifted and in economy of power. 

In reciprocating pumps underspeeding may unduly diminish the 
discharge through failure of the valves to open and close promptly; 
overspeeding often residts in the breaking of sucker rods or the loos- 
ening of pump foundations and the consequent throwing out of 
alignment and increase in losses due to friction. 

The proper size and speed for the pump will be determined by the 
amount of water to be discharged and the lift. The engine or motor 
should then be adapted in size to give the necessary power. By 
means of the proper sized pidleys or gears the suitable working speed 
for both pump and prime mover can be obtained. 

SELECTION OF MACHINERY. 

The most common errors in the selection of machinery are (1) the 
purchase of a pump too large for the capacity of the well, necessi- 
tating operation at a low, uneconomical speed and generally, also, 
excessive suction lift; and (2) too low an estimate of total head, with 
consequent purchase of an engine with insufficient power. It is 
fortunate that these errors, when occurring together, are to a certain 
degree compensating. The net result is frequently an engine suited 
to the head and capacity of the well, but a pump too large for engine 
and for well capacity, a condition that does not, however, greatly 
increase the cost of the plant. 

The rancher usually depends largely on a pump or engine dealer 
or manufacturer for the design of his plant, and furnishes the dealer 
with certain data which are often given without a very clear idea of 
what is required or of the importance of accuracy. Furthermore, 
the rancher seldom has a yery definite idea of the relative cost of 
irrigation with plants of different sizes. The proper size of prime 
mover and pump for given lifts and discharge are given in some 
manufacturers' catalogues or will be suppHed by the service depart- 
ments of the firms. Consxiltation with these departments will often 
prevent costly mistakes in the installation of a plant. The following 



I 



106 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECTJLA BASINS, GAL, 

tables may be of some assistance, however, in the selection of a suit- 
able combination of prime mover and pump. 

Time required for irrigation with pumps of various sizes, assuming 3 acre-feet as duty of 

water per acre per annum. 





"Water 
required 

per 
annum. 


Time required for pump to raise tabulated qtiantities of water, o 


Area to be 
irrigated. 


3-inch 
pump, 
capacity 

225 
gallons 

per 
minute. 


3|-inch 
pump, 
capacity 

300 
gallons 

per 
minute. 


4-inch 
pump, 
capaciliy 

400 
gallons 

per 
minute. 


5-inch 
pump, 
capacity 

700 
gallons 

per 
minute. 


6-inch 

pump, 

capacity 

900 
gallons 

per 
minute. 


7-inch 

pump, 

capacity 

1,200 
gallons 

per 
mmute. 


8-inch 

pump, 

capacity 

1,600 
gallons 

per 
mmute. 


Ift-inch 

pump, 

capacity 

3,000 

gallons 

per 
mmute. 


Acres. 
5 


Acre-feet. 

15 

30 

45 

60 

90 

120 

180 

240 

300 

360 

480 

600 

720 

840 

960 

1,080 

1,200 

1,440 

1,680 

1,920 

2,280 

2,640 


Sours. 
360 
720 
1,080 
1,420 
2,160 
2,880 
4,320 


Sours. 


Bours. 


Sours. 


Sours. 


Sours. 


Sours. 


Sours. 


10 


542 
814 
1,080 
1,630 
2,170 
3,260 
4,340 














15 


610 
814 
1,220 
1,630 
2,440 
3,260 
4,070 
4,880 












20 












30 


697 
930 
1,400 
1,860 
2,320 
2,790 
3,720 
4,650 


542 
723 
1,080 
1,440 
1,810 
2,170 
2,890 
3,620 
4,340 
5,060 








40 


542 
814 
1,080 
1,360 
1,630 
2,170 
2,710 
3,260 
3,800 
4,340 
4,880 






60 


610 
814 
1,020 
1,220 
1,630 
2,030 
2,440 
2,850 
3,260 
3,660 
4,070 
4,880 




80 




100 




542 
650 
868 
1,080 
1,300 
1,520 
1,730 
1,950 
2,170 
2 600 


120 


i 


160 


1 - 


200 






240 






280 








320 








360 








400 








480 








560 






! 


3,040 
3 470 


640 












760 












4,120 
4,770 


880 








j 






1 






1 





a Capacities taken from manufacturers' catalogues. 

From the average rated capacity for each size of pump, obtained 
from manufacturers' catalogues (see table on p. 107) and the lift, the 
necessary water horsepower is obtained from the formula: 

TT i 1 J. 1. Total static head in feet X discharge in gallons per minute 
Useful water horsepo'wer= o q,, ° ^ 

An engine efficiency of about 43 per cent, determined mainly from 
experimental tests at good plants, has been used to compute from 
the water horsepower the required engine horsepower given in the 
table on page 107, in which the size of engine indicated is usually the 
nearest standard size above the required horsepower. The sizes of 
engine needed are larger than those given in similar tables in cata- 
logues of pumping machinery, but they are beheved, from results 
observed in actual operati9n of plants, to be approximately correct. 



PUMPING TESTS. 



107 



Engine horsepower, cost of pumping plant, annual fioced charges, and cost per hour of 
operation for pumps operated against various static heads. O' 



static 
head. 


Size of 
pump. 


Engine 
horse- 
power. 


Cost of 

pumping 

plant. 


Annual 

fixed 
charges. 


Cost per 

hour of 

operation. 


Feet. 


Inches. 








Cents. 


20 


3 


a 


1300 


$69 


6.7 




3i 


4 


360 


72 


7.6 




4 


5 


420 


86 


9.1 




5 


8 


600 


125 


11.9 




6 


10 


770 


162 


13.4 




7 


15 


1,050 


218 


17.2 




8 


20 


1,320 


274 


22.2 




10 


35 


1,920 


398 


39.9 


25 


3 


4 


350 


70 


7.3 




34 


6 


410 


83 


8.6 




4 


6 


480 


99 


10.1 




5 


10 


720 


119 


13.1 




6 


15 


990 


205 


16^ 




7 


18 


1,150 


238 


20!^ 




8 


26 


1,480 


307 


27.3 




10 


45 


2,250 


467 


49.3 


30 


3 


4 


360 


71 


8.3 




3i 


6 


470 


95 


9.3 




4 


8 


590 


121 


10.5 




5 


12 


840 


173 


15.3 




6 


18 


1,110 


229 


18.8 




7 


20 


1,280 


264 


24.7 




8 


30 


1,660 


343 


32.4 




10 


60 


2,430 


502 


58.8 


35 


3 


5 


420 


83 


9.0 




3i 


6 


480 


96 


10.5 




4 


8 


600 


122 


11.9 




5 


15 


960 


197 


17.5 




6 


18 


1,120 


230 


21.9 




7 


25 


1,450 


298 


28.5 




8 


35 


1,840 


379 


37.4 




10 


60 


2,660 


549 


68.3 


40 


3 


6 


480 


94 


9.3 




3i 


8 


600 


121 


10.5 




4 


10 


720 


146 


12.1 




5 


18 


1,080 


220 


19.7 




6 


20 


1,230 


251 


24.7 




7 


30 


1,620 


332 


32.3 




8 


40 


2,010 


413 


42.4 




10 


75 


3,000 


618 


77.8 


45 


3 


6 


530 


104 


10.2 




^ 


8 


660 


132 


11.5 




4 


10 


790 


159 


13.4 




5 


18 


1,170 


238 


21.9 




6 


25 


1,500 


306 


27.6 




7 


30 


1,710 


356 


36.1 




8 


45 


2,300 


472 


47.5 




10 


75 


3,170 


649 


87.2 


50 


3 


8 


640 


126 


10.0 




3.V 


10 


780 


155 


11.5 




4' 


12 


910 


182 


14.6 




5 


20 


1,290 


261 


24.1 




6 


25 


1,510 


307 


30.4 




7 


35 


1,920 


392 


39.9 




8 


50 


2,470 


506 


52.5 




10 


100 


3,760 


773 


96.5 


55 


3 


8 


650 


127 


10.8 




3i 


10 


790 


156 


12.4 




4 


15 


1,030 


206 


15.9 




5 


25 


1,460 


295 


26.3 




6 


30 


1,690 


343 


33.3 




7 


40 


2,100 


428 


43.7 




8 


50 


2,480 


507 


67.8 




10 


100 


3,770 


774 


106.0 


60 


3 


8 


660 


128 


11.5 




3i 


10 


800 


157 


13.4 




4 


15 


1,040 


207 


17.2 




5 


25 


1,470 


296 


28.5 




6 


30 


1,700 


344 


36.1 




7 


45 


2,270 


462 


47.5 




8 


60 


2,710 


553 


62.8 




10 


100 


3,780 


775 


116.0 



a Cost of pumping plant is exclusive of wells and casing. Fixed charges are 8 per centofcostof pumping 
|)lant plus 14 per cent of cost of machinery. Cost of operation is cost of fuel at 10 cents a gallon plus 2cents 
an hour for laoor and lubrication. 



108 GBOUND WATER IIST SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

The cost of pumping plant includes only the cost of engine, pump 
and fittings, and the housing. As the cost of engine and pump 
varies somewhat according to the make, and the cost of housing 
varies with the style of building used, the three items have been 
combined into the averages presented. The prices for the machinery, 
however, are average list prices for distillate engines and centrifugal 
pumps of the indicated sizes. The cost of housing is based on 
actual examples and is taken as about $50 for the smaller plants, 
the cost for larger plants increasing by about 10 per cent of the addi- 
tional cost of the machinery. No attempt has been made to deter- 
mine the average cost of well and casing, since these costs are so 
variable that averages would be of no special significance. In some 
places the cost of the completed well is relatively small; in others it 
may equal the cost of the remainder of the plant. 

The annual fixed charges have been computed as 8 per cent of the 
cost of pumpmg plant plus 14 per cent of the estimated cost of engine 
and pump alone. 

The cost per hour of operation is based on the probable amount of 
distillate, at 10 cents per gallon, used per hour, plus 2 cents per hour 
of operation for labor and lubrication. The duty of distillate is 
taken, as the result of numerous tests, at one-eighth gallon per hour 
per horsepower developed. In the table this is of course not the same 
as the horsepower "size" of the engine, which is adapted only 
approximately to the actual power required. The hourly consump- 
tion of distillate for each combination of pump and lift can be 
determined, if desired, from the last column by subtracting the cost 
of labor and lubrication (2 cents) and dividing by 10 (the assumed 
price in cents per gallon). For example, in a plant of the size indi- 
cated in the first fine of the table, the computed consumption of 

distillate is '.^ or 0.47 gallon per hour. From this figure other 

calculations based on different costs of distillate per gallon can be made. 

Example: It is desired to irrigate by pumpiug a tract of 80 acres 
of land to be set in aKalfa. In consideration of rainfall, evaporation, 
and other climatic conditions, the area should be flooded during the 
irrigation season with sufficient water to cover the land to a depth 
of 3 feet (equivalent to flooding 6 iaches in depth six times during 
the season). The depth to water in neighboring wells is about 20 
feet, and it is desired to raise the water 5 feet above the surface of 
"the ground at the proposed pumping plant. The length of the 
irrigatuig season is about 200 days. 

Referring to the table on page 107, opposite 80 ia the first column, 
we find that a 3^y-inch pump will require 4,340 hours, or 21.7 hours a 
day, for 200 days to supply the desired amount of irrigation water; a 
4-inoh pump wiU require 3,260 hours, or 16.3 hoTirs a day, for 200 days; 
a 5-inch pump wiU require 1,860 hours, or 9.3 hours a day for 200 days; 



PUMPING TESTS. 109 

a 6-inch pump will require 1,440 tours, or 7.2 hours a day for 200 
days. Now, the depth to the water being 20 feet and the lift above 
the surface of the ground 5 feet, a head of 25 feet must be provided 
for in addition to the suction hf t. The suction lift should be taken at 
25 feet unless it is known that a well of great capacity can be obtained. 
The total static head, therefore, in this case will be 50 feet. In the 
table on page 107, opposite 50 in the column for static head, the follow- 
ing information can be found; 

(a) 3J-inch pump ; lO-horsepower engine ; cost with housing, $780. 

Fixed charges |155 

Operation, 4,340 hours, at 11.5 cents per hour 499 

Total yearly cost of pumping 654 

Yearly cost per acre 8. 18 

(&) 4-inch pump; 12-horsepo'wer engine; cost with housing, $910. 

Fixed charges $182 

Operation, 3,260 hours, at 14.6 cents per hour 476 

Total yearly cost of pumping 658 

Yearly cost per acre 8. 22 

(c) 5-inch pump; 20-horse power engine; cost with housing, $1,290. 

Fi xed charges $261 

Operation, 1,860 hours, at 24.1 cents per hour 448 

Total yearly cost of pumping 709 

Yearly cost per acre 8.86 

(d) 6-inch pump; 25-hor8epower engine ; cost with housing, $1,510, 

Fixed charges ^ $307 

Operation, 1,440 hours, at 30.4 centa per hour 438 

Total yearly cost of pumping 745 

Yearly cost per acre 9. 31 

(e) 7-inch piunp; 35-horsepower engine ; cost with housing, $1,920. 

Fixed charges $392 

Operation, 1,080 hours, at 39.9 cents per hour 431 

Total yearly cost of pumping 823 

Yearly cost per acre 10. 29 

It appears from these figures that the total cost of pumping increases 
gradually with the size of plant used. This is because the larger 
plants lie idle a proportionately greater time, while interest, taxes, de- 
preciation and other fixed charges accumulate. With the foregoing 
information in mind, the rancher can proceed to have a well, or wells, 
bored with some definite idea of the sort of plant he wiU need. The bor- 
ing, digging, or drilling of wells in such manner as to obtain the great- 
est flow of water at least cost is a matter subject to wide variation m 
procedure in accordance with local conditions. I.«t it be assi^med 
that a well is bored and the test ^ shows a flow of 300 gallons a minute 
with a lowering of 15 feet in the water surface. Such a well will sup- 
ply a S^-inch piimp with a suction lift of 15 feet (assuming the pump 
to be placed at the water surface) , or a 4-inch pump with a suction lift 

1 Every well slionld he carefully tested by pumping and its flow measured before a pumping plant is 
piirchased. Only in this way can the plant purchsised be adapted to the flow obtainable from wells. 



110 GROUND WATER IN SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS, CAL. 

of about 20 feet, but will not supply a larger pump. With this weU, 
therefore, the choice is narrowed down to plants a and &. It is now 
possible to revise the estimates because, instead of a suction lift of 
25 feet, as previously assumed, it is known that the lift wlU. be about 
15 feet for plant a, or 20 feet for plant h. The total static heads 
will be 40 feet and 45 feet, respectively. From the table on page 107 
the following revised estimates are derived: 

a-l. 40-foot head, 3|-iiich pump, 8-liorsepower engine, cost witli 
housing, $600: 

Fixed charges $121 

Operation, 4,340 hours, at 10.5 cents per hour 456 

Total yearly cost of pumping 577 

Yearly cost per acre 7. 21 

6-1. 45-foot head, 4-inch pump, 10-horse power engine, cost with 
housing, $790: 

Fixed charges 159 

Operation, 3,260 hoiirs, at 13.4 cents per hour 437 

Total yearly cost of piimping 596 

Yearly cost per acre 7. 45 

It is seen that plant h-\ costs $190 more than plant a-l and that 
the yearly cost of pumping will be $19 greater. In view of the lesser 
time required for pumping, the larger plant would probably be chosen 
by most ranchers, but with the foregoing study of the problern, the 
choice could be made intelligently with clear knowledge as to what 
the added convenience of the larger plant will cost. If a stiU larger 
plant were, for any reason, considered desirable additional weUs 
would be required. 

Any engine or pump of standard make can be selected with the 
assurance that it will do satisfactory work if properly operated, due 
regard being paid to the general principle that machinery costing least 
is worth least. 

In San Jacinto Valley the distillate engine with vertical centrifugal 
pump set at the water level will generally prove satisfactory. In 
those parts of the valley where the water level is close to the surface 
or where there are flowing wells, the capacity of the weUs seems to be 
comparatively smaU, and it may be advisable to sink the pximp pit 
and install the pump considerably below the ground-water level. 

Steam plants for inigation, except in large units, are generally 
unsatisfactory. Where 75 horsepower or more is required, gas pro- 
ducers using crude oil for fuel, together with producer-gas engines, 
probably furnish the cheapest power obtainable. Such plants are 
not economical in small units. 

' Deep-well pumps are much m.ore costly than centrifugal pumps, but 
are more efficient. Centrifugal pumps are better suited to present 
conditions in the valley, but if the water level should be generally 
lowered as the number and use of pumping plants continues, deep-weU 
pumps would become desirable in several places. 



INDEX. 



Page. 

Agriculture in San Jacinto Valley 14 

in the Temecula tiasin 84-85 

See also Iirigation, employment of. 

Alessandro, well near, depth to water in 53 

Alessandro irrigation district, water supplied 

to 19 

Alessandro Valley, depth to water in 48 

from point north of Perris, plate showing. 36 

irrigation in 62 

location of 50 

Alfalfa, raising of 14, 15, 85 

See also Irrigation, employment of. 

Alkali, presence of 13-14, 

31-32, 37, 41, 47, 64, 69, 78-79, 81 , 90, 93 

Analyses of ground waters 25, 48, inserts 

facing 30, 36, 40, 62, 78, 86 

Artesian weUs, areas of 21, 27-29, 42-44, 87-88, 91 

flow of 27-29 

logs of 26,27 

Babcock, Edward S., analyses by 48 

Babtiste Valley, depth to ground water in. . . 92 

Badlands, rocks of 9 

Bench lands below Lee Lake, plate showing. 78 

below Temescal, plate showing 78 

Boiler use, quality of waters for 22-23,31, 

37, 41, 47, 63, 78, 81, inserts 
facing 30, 36, 40, 62, 78, 86 
Bowers, wells Nos. 125 and 126 at, water level 

in 28-29 

Brownlands, artesian water in 43 

lake in 42 

Bimdy's Elsinore Hot Spring, description of. 75 

Caliche, deposit of 65 

California, map of part of, showing areas cov- 
ered by water-supply papers 7 

Cantarini, Auguste, wells of 87-88 

Casa Loma, logs of wells near 42-43 

Cawston ostrich farm, test of pumping plant 

on 94, 100 

Cienaga east of San Jacinto, water from 31 

Citizens Water Co., operations of 18-19, 30 

Classification of ground waters 22-23, 31, 37, 

41, 47, 50, 63, 69, 78, 81, 89-90, 93, 
inserts facing 30, 36, 40, 62, 78, 86 

Clay, occurrence of 15-16, 79 

Climate of the San Jacioto basin 10-14 

of the Temecula basin 84 

Coal, occurrence of 15,79 

Cook, James, tost of pumping plant of. . . 95-96, 100 
Corona, irrigation at 62-63 

Diamond VaUey, grain growing in 36 

nm-ofl from 37 

Dinsmore, S. C, analyses by inserts facing 30, 

36,40,62,78 



Page. 

Domenigoni Valley, alkaliin 41 

Kmits and drainage of 38 

wells in 41 

Domestic use, quality of waters for 22, 31, 

37, 41, 47, 63, 69, 78, 81, 89-90, 93, 

inserts facing 30, 36, 40, 62, 78, 86 

Double Butte, western part of, plate showing. 38 

Earthquake of 1899, limits of. 9 

Eden Hot Spring, description of 24 

plate showing 24 

Egan, well near, depth to water in 33, 35 

Elsinore, precipitation at 11 , 12, 13 

San Jacinto River near 72-74 

Temescal Creek near 74 

Elsinore Lake, escarpment along south side 

of, plat« showing 68 

history of 71-72 

log of flowing well near 76 

Elsinore Lake area, alkali in 78-79 

geologic features of 70-71 

hot springs m 75 

irrigation in 76-78 

level of ground water in 76-76 

limits and surface of 69 

quality of ground water in 78 

southern part of, plate shoeing 70 

surface water in 71-74 

Ethan A. Chase Co., operations of 62 

Ethanac, well near, depth to water in 89 

Pairview Land & Water Co., operations of... 18 
Faults bounding San Jacinto basin, descrip- 
tion of 9 

Field work, record of 7 

Fruit trees, citrus, growing of 14 

See also Irrigation, employment of. 

deciduous, growing of 14,84 

See also Irrigation, employment of. 

Gas, occurrence of 43 

Geography of San Jacinto basin 7-4 

of the Temecula basin 81-82 

Geology of San Jaciato basia 9-10 

of the Temecula basin 82-83 

Glen Ivy Hot Springs, description of 79-80 

Grain, raisiag of 14, 84, 85 

See also Irrigation, employment of. 

Hemet, wells near, depth to water in 34, 35 

Hemet area, ground-water level in 32-36 

irrigation in 36-37 

limits and soil of 32 

quality of water in 37 

Hemet irrigated district from Reservoir Butte, 

plate showing 36 

Hemet irrigation works, construction of 15 

111 



112 



INDEX. 



Hemet Land Co., operations of 17-18 

Hot springs in the San Jacinto basin, descrip- 
tion of 24-25 

of the Pilares, location and water of 43-44 

Idyllwild, precipitation at 10, 11 

Indian Creek, warm sulphur springs on 25 

Irrigation, employment of... 30-31,36-37,41,46-47, 
50, 62-63, 68-69, 76-78, 80-81, 89, 92-93 

quality of waters for 22, 

31, 37, 41, 47, 50, 63, 69, 78, 81, 89-90, 93, 
inserts facing 30, 36, 40, 62, 78, 86. 
systems for 16-19 

Juniper Flat, Lalceview Mountains, plate 

showing 38 

soil of 38 

Kaiser, W. F., test of pumping plant of 95, 100 

Lake Hemet Water Co., operations of 16-18 

Lakeview, wells at and near, depth to water 

in 44-46 

Lakeview area, alkali in 47 

artesian wells in 42-44 

gas in 43 

irrigation in 46-47 

level of groiind water in 44-46 

quality of water in. . 47, insert facing 40. 

surface and soils 42 

warm springs in 43-44 

Lakeview Water Co., operations of 19 

Land, irrigated, maps showing In pocket. 

prepared for seeding, plate showing 51 

Lee Lake, water in and under 80 

Level of groimd water 29-30, 32-36, 44-46, 48-50, 

51-62, 65-68, 75-76, 80, 88-89, 92 

Lucerne, log of well near 70 

Lucerne district, water supply of 77 

Maas, Arthur E.., analysis by 25 

Magnesite, occurrence of 16 

Menifee area, alkali in 69 

irrigation in 68-69 

level of ground water in 65-68 

limits and drainage of 64 

quality of ground water in 69 

soils of 65 

Menifee School, wellsnear, depth to water in.. 66-68 

Mill Creek, water for irrigation from 50 

Mining, attempts at 15-16 

Moreno area, irrigation in 50 

logs of wells in 48-50 

level of ground water in 48-50 

quality of water in. . 50, insert facing 40. 

siuface and soil of 47-48 

Mountains of Temecula basin, elevations of. . 82 

Murrieta Creek, coiu-se and tributaries of 85 

Mmrieta Valley, alkali in 90 

artesian area in 87-88 

extent and agriculture of 86-87 

hot springs in 87 

irrigation in 89 

level of ground water in 88-89 

quality of ground water in 89-90 

Nigger Canyon, dam site in 86 



Paloma Valley, irrigation in 68-69 

location of 54 

Ferris, wells at or near, depth to water in. . . 54-58, 

59-61 

Ferris area, irrigation in 62-63 

level of ground water in 51-62 

limits and soil of 50-51 

quality of ground water in 63 

Ferris irrigation district, water supplied to. . 19 

Ferris Valley from point north of Ferris, plate 

showing 36 

Frecipitation in the San Jacinto basin 10-13 

in the Temecula basin 84 

Fumping, cost of, factors afiecting 102-105 

selection of machinery for 10.5-1 10 

Fumping plants, tests of 93-110 

untested, estimated capacity and expenses 

of 97 

Fumps, horsepower and cost of lOS-llO 

time required for irrigation with 106 

QuaUty of ground water ^ 21-23, 31, 

37, 41, 47, 50, 63, 69, 78, 81, 89-90, 93 

Kailroadin San Jacinto Valley 14 

Relief Hot Springs, description of 24 

Ritchey Hot Springs, description of 25 

Salt Creek, course of 64 

San Jacinto, precipitation at 11, 12, 13 

San Jacinto area, alkali in 31-32 

artesian area in 27-29 

extent of 23-24 

hot springs in 24-25 

irrigation in 30-31 

level of ground water in 29-30 

quality of ground water in 31 

San Jacinto basin, extent of 20 

map of, showing depth to water and loca- 
tion of wells In pocket. 

showing imgated lands and principal 

distribution systems In pocket. 

showing lands irrigated in 1904 and in 

1915 In pocket. 

showing relief and drainage basins. . . 8 

San Jacinto Hot Springs, description of 24 

San Jacinto River, channel and flow of 42, 51 

description of 8-9 

near Elsinore 72-74 

near Ferris, plate showing 51 

valley of, from Fark HiU, plate showing. . 30 
from Relief Hot Springs, plate show- 
ing 24 

San Jacinto Water Co., operations of 18 

San Luis Rey River, discharge of. 86 

Schanck, Francis R., cited 71 

Schuyler, J. D., cited 17 

Skenk, Mrs. E va L., test of pumping plant of. 96, 100 

Smith, R. S., test of pumping plant of 94, 100 

Soboba Hot Springs, description of 25 

Source of ground water 20-21 

Spreading of flood water 62 

Springs, hot, at Elsinore, description of 75 

hot, near Temescal, description of 79 

warm, in the Lakeview area, description 

of 43 



INDEX. 



113 



stabler, Herman, pumping tests 93-110 

Stone, quarrying of 16 

Storage of flood water underground, methods 

of 62 

Temeoula basin, climate of 84 

geography of 81-82 

geology of 82-83 

map of, showing depth to water and loca- 
tion of wells In pocket. 

showing irrigated land and principal 

distribution systems In pocket. 

showing relief and drainage basins ... 8 

settlement and industries of 84-85 

sinface water in 85-86 

[Temeoula Canyon, dam site in 86 

Temeoula River, course and flow of. 85-86 

valley of, plate showing 70 

I Temeoula Valley, alkali in 93 

artesian area in 91 

irrigation in 92-93 

level of ground water in 92 

limits of 90 

quality of ground water in 93 

71065°— X9—WSP 429 8 



Temescal area, alkali in 81 

hot springs in 79-80 

irrigation in 80-81 

level of ground water in 80 

limits and soil of 79 

quality of ground water in 81 

Temescal Creek near Elsinore 74 

Temescal Wash, course of. 79 

plate showing 78 

Temescal Water Co., operations of 62-63 

pumping station of 97-98 

Towns in San Jacinto VaDey 14-15 

in the Temecula basin 84 

Vegetation, nature of. 13 

Walker, Paul, test of pumping plant of.. 96-97,100 

Wells, logs of, plate showing 32 

Winchester, weUs at and near, depth to water 

in 39-40 

Winchester area, alkali in 41 

irrigation in n 

level of ground water in ' 38-40 

limits and soil of 37-38 

quality of ground water in 41 



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WATEn-SlTPLY PAPEll 42fi PI^TE \"J 




MAP OF 

SAN JACINTO AND TEMECULA BASINS 
C'AEIFORNIA 

SlUnVINCi LANDS lIlHUiATIil) IN liKl'i AND IN 1!)15 



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MAP OF 

SAN JACJINTC) AND TEMECULA BASINS 
CALIFORNIA 

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